Black, Hispanic Communities Still Feeling Legacy of Housing Crisis

AChafukira • April 26, 2019

A new report by Zillow states that 31.4% of all foreclosures that occurred between January 2007 and December 2015 occurred in predominantly black and Hispanic communities.

According to the report, black communities accounted for 12.7% of foreclosures, and that number grew to 19.4% in Hispanic communities. Zillow further points out that homes in predominantly black and Hispanic communities account for only 17% of all U.S. homes.

The amount of foreclosures that occurred in predominantly white communities during that time period was 66.4%, but 81.2% of all homes are located in white communities. Zillow’s report states that, based on the gap in housing between communities of color and white communities, homes in black and Hispanic neighborhoods are 2 and 2.5-times more likely to experience foreclosures than those in white communities.

Communities of color in certain metro areas were impacted far worse, as the foreclosure rates in San Francisco for black and Hispanic communities was 4.6% and 38.1%, respectively. Foreclosure rates in white San Francisco communities were at 43.5%, while 62.3% of all homes were located in white communities.

The foreclosure rate in San Francisco for black and Hispanic homes was 3.3-times higher than that of white communities, according to Zillow’s analysis.

In addition to being more likely to experience foreclosure, an Urban Institute report from 2018 stated that black homeownership rate has seen the most dramatic drop of any racial or ethnic group since 2011—declining 5% compared to a mere 1% drop in white families, and with increases for Hispanic families.

Data also found that the homeownership rate of black millennials was at 13% in 2018, compared with 37% for white millennials. In the past 15 years, black homeownership rates have declined to levels not seen since the 1960s, when private race-based discrimination was legal, the report indicated.

“The sudden new demand for rental housing caused rents to soar throughout the recession, so homeowners that were foreclosed upon—regardless of racial or ethnic group—were putting a larger portion of their income towards rent every month,” the report stated.

Zillow reported that black and Hispanic renters spent around 40% of their incomes on rent each month, and these former-homeowners were never able to benefit from the increases in their homes’ value during the recovery.

Home values slowly began to rise after the housing market hit rock bottom more than 10 years ago. Although values for typical foreclosed homes in black and Hispanic communities have yet to return to their housing-bubble peaks, they have more than doubled during the recovery, growing 109.2% in black communities and 122% in Hispanic communities, according to the report.

The value of homes in white communities during that same time period increased by 71.6%, and are currently 10.1% more than they were during the peak of the bubble. Zillow states that the typical U.S. home that didn’t succumb to foreclosure grew 52.5% and is currently worth 13.1% more than it was before the recession.

The value of foreclosed homes in black and Hispanic communities has continued to grow over the past year. While the national housing market has slowed to 6.6% growth, values of foreclosed homes in back communities has increased by 20.2% and 9.1% in Hispanic communities.


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March 19, 2025
The National Building Black Wealth Day Follows The Resounding Success of Our Mid-Winter Conference In February, Where We Equipped Our Community With the Tools, Strategies, and Insights Needed to Thrive In an Evolving Industry. ST. LOUIS, MO— The National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) will present its second annual National Building Black Wealth Day on April 12, 2025, with live events in more than 100 cities across the country. Seminars and one-on-one sessions will empower communities with steps towards homeownership, property investment, starting a business, and other wealth-building opportunities. An internet feed will make virtual sessions accessible to a national audience. To register for the in-person events in 100 cities, please go to XXXXX. To register for the virtual sessions on Zoom, click HERE. Act quickly as the virtual sessions have limited spots available. We also encourage you to share this opportunity with your networks to help us reach more Black consumers. Key partners in the tour, include the African American Mayors Association, Inc., Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Church of God in Christ, Inc., the National Baptist Convention, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., National Bar Association, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. “Participation by our partners underscores their commitment to empowerment and economic development in our communities,” said Dr. Courtney Johnson Rose. “The Building Black Wealth Tour is expanding for 2025. We are bringing together families, lenders, attorneys, and real estate professionals to discuss and implement strategies for increasing Black homeownership and building wealth within Black communities.” Rose noted that NAREB’s 2024 State of Housing in Black America report found that more than two million mortgage-ready Black Americans have the income and credit to buy a home but have not yet become homeowners. In addition, 1.75 million Black millennials make over $100k annually and are poised to be homeowners. Further, Freddie Mac tracks the number of “mortgage-ready” renters nationwide , meaning they can meet certain income and credit requirements to qualify for a mortgage. Their researchers determined that as of January 2021, two million Blacks ages 45 or younger are near mortgage-ready, while another 3.4 million are potentially mortgage-ready. “Our tour aims to reach these Black consumers,” said Dr. Rose. “We are providing them with data and information on why they should be homeowners. We explain the many benefits of homeownership, such as building wealth, stable communities and building equity for retirements, college educations for their children, starting a business or more.” On National Building Black Wealth Day, hundreds of families and individuals will be armed with the information needed to make wealth-building decisions. Among the opportunities/Workshops are: What to do with Big Momma's House? ABCs of Homebuying Real Estate Investing Down Payment Assistance Explore Careers in Real Estate Free Career Fair Free Health Screenings One On Ones with Real Estate Attorneys One On Ones with Housing Counselors The Black Wealth Day comes after NAREB’s successful Mid-Winter Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, last month. This year’s conference, themed "Navigating New Horizons," empowered real estate professionals with the tools, strategies, and insights needed to thrive in an evolving industry. Speakers included Dr. Egypt Sherrod , Host and Executive Producer of HGTV’s Married to Real Estate; Catrese Fields Alston, Philanthropist and CEO of Le-Bleu Diamond Corporation; Hill Harper , Award-Winning Actor and Activist and Laura Escobar , President of Lennar Mortgage and 2025 Chair of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). “Our Mid-Winter Conference helped NAREB Realtists® prepare for the shifting landscape of the real estate industry,” said Dr. Rose . “Realtists are on the front lines, working with families to secure homeownership and build generational wealth. In today’s challenging market, our members are more valuable than ever, and this conference ensured they have the knowledge and support to make a lasting impact in Black communities.” ABOUT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REAL ESTATE BROKERS NAREB was formed in 1947 to secure equal housing opportunities regardless of race, creed, or color. NAREB has advocated for legislation and supported or instigated legal challenges that ensure fair housing, sustainable homeownership, and access to credit for Black Americans. Simultaneously, NAREB advocates for and promotes access to business opportunities for Black real estate professionals in each real estate discipline. From the past to the present, NAREB remains an association that is proud of its history, dedicated to its chosen struggle, and unrelenting in its pursuit of the REALTIST®’s mission/vision embedded goal, “Democracy in Housing.”
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