More than Money: The Spatial Mismatch Between Where Homeowners of Color in Metro Boston Can Afford to Live and Where They Actually Reside
Authors:
David J. Harris, Nancy McArdle
Date Published:
January 01, 2004
Few people argue that segregation is purely a result of market forces, or that it is due entirely to discrimination. Most recognize that the answer must lie somewhere in between. Policy efforts must focus on removing any remnants of discriminatory practices, and must also find ways to attract and retain populations of color in communities that are affordable to but devoid of households of color.
Executive Summary
The 1990s brought unprecedented growth in the number of homeowners of color, but their numbers increased most in Boston and a small number of urbanized satellite cities. While African American and Latino homebuyers in metro Boston do, on average, face greater affordability constraints than whites, affordability alone does a poor job in explaining residential segregation.
Key Findings:
- African Americans outpaced all groups in terms of increasing homeownership rates, yet they still own homes at less than half the rate of whites. Boston, Brockton and Randolph posted the largest numeric gains in black owners.
- The number of Latino owners increased by 70%, with the largest numeric gains in Boston, Lawrence and Worcester.
- The number of Asian homeowners doubled over the 1990s. Communities with widely disparate socio-economic characteristics--from Lowell and Worcester to Brookline and Lexington— shared in this growth, reflecting the diversity of the Asian population.
- White homeowners increased almost exclusively in the outer suburbs, while declining in many of the satellite cities that exhibited strong minority growth.
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