Endowments and Minority Homeownership

Abstract

Fifty years after the adoption of the 1968 Fair Housing Act that prohibits discrimination in the housing market, homeownership rates have not increased for black or Hispanic households. The current homeownership rate for black households is 42 percent, identical to the 1970 census reported level, and 48 percent for Hispanic households, lower than 1970. Using data from the 1989, 2005 and 2013 American Housing Surveys, we identify the extent to which group differences in household endowments account for persistently low minority homeownership levels.

Keywords: homeownership, race, permanent income, Fair Housing Act

JEL Classification: R20, R21, R31