Housing Discrimination In The United States
1. In the U.S., how has housing discrimination been addressed at the federal level? Consider both public and private sector housing.
Housing discrimination is still one of the most prevalent problems plaguing African Americans and minorities in the United States of Americas. Since the abolition of slavery African Americans and minorities have found it difficult to find affordable housing and integrate into mostly white communities. These problems can be traced back to the Jim Crow Laws. These set of prejudicial beliefs made it impossible for non-whites to live near or within white communities or even associate with whites. Jim Crow ordinances were made illegal by the Supreme Court back in 1917. See Supreme Court case, Buchanan v. Warley. The civil Rights Act of 1968, also known as the Fair Housing Act was one of the first step taken by the federal government to correct the inequalities in the housing area and to try to get housing discrimination under control. The Housing Act made all types of housing discrimination practices such as filtering information about a home’s availability, racial steering, blockbusting, and redlining unconstitutional.
In addition to the Fair Housing Act of 1968 the federal government passed The Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974 and Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 addressing discrimination in …show more content…
mortgage lending and lenders ' problems with credit needs. There was also a Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 which give the federal government the power to enforce the original Fair Housing Act in order to correct previous problems with enforcement. The amendment was put in place to present for law judges to hear cases brought to them by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and to impose fines. Other Acts passed by the federal government address discrimination cases related to or involving private agencies. Two of these programs are The Fair Housing Assistance Program of 1984 was passed to help public agencies with processing complaints, and the Fair Housing Initiatives program of 1986 supported private and public fair housing agencies in their activities, such as auditing. Between 1990 and 2001 these two programs have resulted in over one thousand housing discrimination lawsuits and over $155 million in financial recovery.
The United States Census has shown that ethnic and racial minorities living in high-poverty areas had actually increased following the passage of the Fair Housing Act from 1970 to 1990. African-Americans residing in these areas rose from 16 percent to 24 percent, and Hispanics living in these areas have increased from 10 percent to 15 percent. American sociologist Douglas Massey, in his essay, "The New Geography of Inequality in Urban America", argues that this new racial geography in the United States has laid the foundation for housing discrimination to occur in order to keep up the status quo. This is very evident in the city of Buffalo where most African Americans reside in the East Side, Hispanics and other immigrants residing in the West Side while most white population reside in North and South Buffalo.
2. Despite federal regulation, does segregation of housing (voluntary and involuntary) occur in U.S. cities based on other socio-economic characteristics? (gender, age, ethnic origin, income/wealth, sexual preference, ...)
In spite of federal regulation housing discrimination both voluntary and involuntary still occurs. Housing discrimination major focuses on race but with the gay and lesbian communities coming out of the closet they too have become discriminated based on their sexual orientation. It is obvious that age, gender, ethnic origin and income play an important role in the discrimination pool. Communities tend to live together to avoid being the targets of aggression and subjects to low standards of living. Housing discrimination based on sexual orientation was not explicitly cited in the Fair Housing Act, as of 2007, it was banned only in 17 states. In all states, same-sex couples are frequently unable to apply to public housing as a family unit, thus decreasing their chances at being accepted into the program. A study done by the Fair Housing Commission of Michigan in 2007, statistics showed that out of 120 paired-tests, almost 30 percent of same-sex couples were given higher rental rates and less encouragement to rent, both examples of no exclusionary housing discrimination. A study released by HUD in 2011 surveyed of 6,450 transgender and gender non-conforming persons and found that "19 percent reported having been refused a house or an apartment because of gender identity.”
Families with small children and usually with low income are discouraged from renting in middle class neighborhoods by high rent prices.
According to Sociologist John Yinger, people who suffer from housing discrimination often live in lower-quality housing because that is all they can afford in term putting themselves and their families at risk of experiencing health issues and receiving substandard education for their children.
Poor Neighborhoods tend to be more accepting which in term causes people of the same race, gays, social standard and income to live in this areas in order to avoid physical threats of violence or even
harassment.
3. How has housing discrimination shaped cities?
Poverty dominates the inner city. Large developments with lower standards of living also known as the projects are mostly occupied by minorities and those of low income. Large homes and nicer schools and community developments are most often found populated by whites. The best schools and homes can be found in the suburbs where most whites and upper class resides away from the city. Large crime areas are normally in the city where mostly unemployed African Americans and minorities reside.
4. What potential solutions could cities use to mitigate segregation or is segregation a natural phenomenon?
Some solutions would be building more affordable housing in white neighborhoods. Other option would be to improve poor neighborhoods in a way that will make these neighborhoods more attractive to white tenants. Improving the school systems would definitely make it more appealing for whites to want to take a second look at living in the inner city. Educating the community and offering incentives that will alleviate poverty ridden homes. Promotion of educational services for the youth would eliminate the high rate of teen pregnancy and single parent homes. Introducing programs that would allow the poor access to better mortgages and more affordable housing will in term create a better sense of community. Developers should build more affordable housing options in the suburbs for low income tenants. Education should be more affordable for poor adults.
There should be a stronger enforcement of housing laws in order to avoid abuses and illegal treatment of those who cannot otherwise
References
http://www.census.gov/ U.S. Census http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/what.htm http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/FHLaws/yourrights https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/245/60/case.html Segregation Measure.” Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design 28:433–446.
Silver, Christopher (1997). "The Racial Origins of Zoning in American Cities". In Thomas, J. M.; Ritzdorf, M.. Urban Planning & the African American Community: In the Shadows. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publ.. ISBN 0-8039-7233-4. Yinger, John . 1986. “Measuring Discrimination with Fair Housing Audits: Caught in the
Act.” American Economic Review 76:881–893.
Housing discrimination is still one of the most prevalent problems plaguing African Americans and minorities in the United States of Americas. Since the abolition of slavery African Americans and minorities have found it difficult to find affordable housing and integrate into mostly white communities. These problems can be traced back to the Jim Crow Laws. These set of prejudicial beliefs made it impossible for non-whites to live near or within white communities or even associate with whites. Jim Crow ordinances were made illegal by the Supreme Court back in 1917. See Supreme Court case, Buchanan v. Warley. The civil Rights Act of 1968, also known as the Fair Housing Act was one of the first step taken by the federal government to correct the inequalities in the housing area and to try to get housing discrimination under control. The Housing Act made all types of housing discrimination practices such as filtering information about a home’s availability, racial steering, blockbusting, and redlining unconstitutional.
In addition to the Fair Housing Act of 1968 the federal government passed The Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974 and Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 addressing discrimination in …show more content…
mortgage lending and lenders ' problems with credit needs. There was also a Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 which give the federal government the power to enforce the original Fair Housing Act in order to correct previous problems with enforcement. The amendment was put in place to present for law judges to hear cases brought to them by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and to impose fines. Other Acts passed by the federal government address discrimination cases related to or involving private agencies. Two of these programs are The Fair Housing Assistance Program of 1984 was passed to help public agencies with processing complaints, and the Fair Housing Initiatives program of 1986 supported private and public fair housing agencies in their activities, such as auditing. Between 1990 and 2001 these two programs have resulted in over one thousand housing discrimination lawsuits and over $155 million in financial recovery.
The United States Census has shown that ethnic and racial minorities living in high-poverty areas had actually increased following the passage of the Fair Housing Act from 1970 to 1990. African-Americans residing in these areas rose from 16 percent to 24 percent, and Hispanics living in these areas have increased from 10 percent to 15 percent. American sociologist Douglas Massey, in his essay, "The New Geography of Inequality in Urban America", argues that this new racial geography in the United States has laid the foundation for housing discrimination to occur in order to keep up the status quo. This is very evident in the city of Buffalo where most African Americans reside in the East Side, Hispanics and other immigrants residing in the West Side while most white population reside in North and South Buffalo.
2. Despite federal regulation, does segregation of housing (voluntary and involuntary) occur in U.S. cities based on other socio-economic characteristics? (gender, age, ethnic origin, income/wealth, sexual preference, ...)
In spite of federal regulation housing discrimination both voluntary and involuntary still occurs. Housing discrimination major focuses on race but with the gay and lesbian communities coming out of the closet they too have become discriminated based on their sexual orientation. It is obvious that age, gender, ethnic origin and income play an important role in the discrimination pool. Communities tend to live together to avoid being the targets of aggression and subjects to low standards of living. Housing discrimination based on sexual orientation was not explicitly cited in the Fair Housing Act, as of 2007, it was banned only in 17 states. In all states, same-sex couples are frequently unable to apply to public housing as a family unit, thus decreasing their chances at being accepted into the program. A study done by the Fair Housing Commission of Michigan in 2007, statistics showed that out of 120 paired-tests, almost 30 percent of same-sex couples were given higher rental rates and less encouragement to rent, both examples of no exclusionary housing discrimination. A study released by HUD in 2011 surveyed of 6,450 transgender and gender non-conforming persons and found that "19 percent reported having been refused a house or an apartment because of gender identity.”
Families with small children and usually with low income are discouraged from renting in middle class neighborhoods by high rent prices.
According to Sociologist John Yinger, people who suffer from housing discrimination often live in lower-quality housing because that is all they can afford in term putting themselves and their families at risk of experiencing health issues and receiving substandard education for their children.
Poor Neighborhoods tend to be more accepting which in term causes people of the same race, gays, social standard and income to live in this areas in order to avoid physical threats of violence or even
harassment.
3. How has housing discrimination shaped cities?
Poverty dominates the inner city. Large developments with lower standards of living also known as the projects are mostly occupied by minorities and those of low income. Large homes and nicer schools and community developments are most often found populated by whites. The best schools and homes can be found in the suburbs where most whites and upper class resides away from the city. Large crime areas are normally in the city where mostly unemployed African Americans and minorities reside.
4. What potential solutions could cities use to mitigate segregation or is segregation a natural phenomenon?
Some solutions would be building more affordable housing in white neighborhoods. Other option would be to improve poor neighborhoods in a way that will make these neighborhoods more attractive to white tenants. Improving the school systems would definitely make it more appealing for whites to want to take a second look at living in the inner city. Educating the community and offering incentives that will alleviate poverty ridden homes. Promotion of educational services for the youth would eliminate the high rate of teen pregnancy and single parent homes. Introducing programs that would allow the poor access to better mortgages and more affordable housing will in term create a better sense of community. Developers should build more affordable housing options in the suburbs for low income tenants. Education should be more affordable for poor adults.
There should be a stronger enforcement of housing laws in order to avoid abuses and illegal treatment of those who cannot otherwise
References
http://www.census.gov/ U.S. Census http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/what.htm http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/FHLaws/yourrights https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/245/60/case.html Segregation Measure.” Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design 28:433–446.
Silver, Christopher (1997). "The Racial Origins of Zoning in American Cities". In Thomas, J. M.; Ritzdorf, M.. Urban Planning & the African American Community: In the Shadows. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publ.. ISBN 0-8039-7233-4. Yinger, John . 1986. “Measuring Discrimination with Fair Housing Audits: Caught in the
Act.” American Economic Review 76:881–893.