WAMU, February 11, 2020: For Many Black Washingtonians, Homeownership Remains Out Of Reach
Legal segregation ended in D.C. more than 70 years ago. But for many Black Washingtonians, today’s housing market feels as inaccessible as it was during the Truman Administration.
In the District, research shows about 50% of Black households own their homes, compared to more than 70% of White households — a roughly 20 percentage point gap, according to the Urban Institute. Other metropolitan areas have gaps as high as 51%, but Washington’s disparity is significant for a region with such a robust Black middle class.
Obstacles to homeownership undercut African Americans’ ability to build wealth, perpetuating racial segregation and further entrenching poverty. The problem is so severe, the Urban Institute says it “threatens to exacerbate racial inequality for decades to come.”
