Volume 17, Issue 4

2006

 

 

Racial differences in tenure have been large and persistent, with white
householders much more likely to own their homes than blacks. Haurin and
Morrow-Jones surveyed a sample of 1,002 in metropolitan Columbus, OH, in
2005 to determine the causes of the tenure gap between blacks and whites.

Social and economic differences played a dominant role, but Haurin and
Morrow-Jones also identified a racial difference in real estate and financial
knowledge, a difference they suggest could be reduced or eliminated with
education. This comment raises questions about national homeownership
goals and points out that Haurin and Morrow-Jones overlook the consequences
of pervasive racial residential segregation and the effects of both past
and current discrimination.