People of color are more likely to be denied loans, perpetuating historic redlining practices and blocking families from accumulating intergenerational wealth through homeownership.
A report that analyzed the experiences of over 200 clients of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency found that “Black homebuyers still face substantial barriers to homeownership in Pennsylvania.” As Kate Giammarise writes for WESA, the report highlighted some key findings:
- People of color are more likely to be denied loans than white non-Hispanic people.
- People seeking loans for homes in substantially minority areas are more likely to be denied than applicants in white areas.
- Black non-Hispanic and Hispanic people are more likely to experience a denial than white non-Hispanic people of similar qualifications.
The report outlines some recommendations, including “down-payment assistance programs should be expanded but shouldn’t be so cumbersome as to put the people using them at a disadvantage when trying to buy a home, and lenders need better training about communicating with applicants of color.”
The report seeks to address a significant difference in homeownership rates. “Rates of homeownership among whites are roughly 30 percentage points above the Black and Hispanic rates in Pennsylvania, the report noted, contributing to a wide racial wealth gap” that prevents families from building intergenerational wealth through real estate.
FULL STORY: Black homebuyers in Pennsylvania still face many hurdles, report finds
How South Phoenix's Legacy of Housing Discrimination Impacts Residents Today
Redlined for decades, south Phoenix is experiencing a resurgence that could push local residents even farther out as housing costs spike.
Formerly Redlined Neighborhoods Continue to Suffer Disparate Air Pollution
How did ZIP codes become such powerful determinants of public health? New new evidence of the disparate air pollution of redlined neighborhoods partly answers that question.
Housing Affordability Crisis Spreading to More Cities
Cities like Spokane, Washington courted new residents and businesses during the pandemic. Now, they're starting to wonder if it was worth it.
The California High-Speed Rail Project Illustrates America’s Transit Issues
Slow progress and a bloated budget have plagued the High-Speed Rail project linking San Francisco to Los Angeles, exposing deeper issues with American transit projects.
Density and Driving: A Second Look
A common argument against more compact housing is that increased population density will only reduce vehicle miles traveled at moderate levels of density, as opposed to very low-density and very high-density areas. But this might not be so.
What Role Does Health Care Play in Community Development?
Cities are economically diverse and require accessible health care systems, but this can be challenging to implement. Urban developers are working alongside health professionals to create affordable care for city residents.
Boise’s New Planning Director Warns Against 'Dysfunctional Highways'
On the heels of his stint as Atlanta’s planning director, Tim Keane says Boise should avoid following in the path of American cities that have let highway expansion and sprawl go unchecked for decades.
Voters Reject Atlanta-Area Cityhood Proposals
After local activists whipped up concerns about forced density to promote cityhood for three wealthy Atlanta suburbs, residents voted to remain in unincorporated Cobb County.
Want to Drive a Big Pickup Truck in D.C.? It’s About to Get (Even More) Expensive
D.C. is considering a $500 vehicle license fee for private vehicles over 6,000 pounds.
Environmental Science Associates
Piedmont Environmental Council
City of Oakland, California
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of San Carlos
City of Redwood City
City of Hot Springs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
