The
majority
of
respondents
to
a
recent


Zillow
survey
said
they
have
experienced
discrimination
in
housing,
with
racial
minorities
and
members
of
the

LGBTQ+
community
among
the
groups
reporting

fair
housing
issues
at
even
higher
rates.

Zillow
surveyed
more
than
12,000
adults
across
26
U.S.
metro
areas
in
March
and
April
to
gain
a
“comprehensive
understanding”
of
the
fair
housing
landscape.

Fifty-seven
percent
of
all
respondents
reported
experiencing
some
type
of
housing

discrimination
during
their
life.
The
share
rose
to
79%
for
LGBTQ+
respondents,
69%
for
Blacks,
and
64%
for
Hispanics
and
Latinos.
Renters
(61%)
reported
higher
rates
of
discrimination
than
homeowners
(53%).
 

“April
is
Fair
Housing
Month,
and
this
research
shows
how
far
we
have
to
go
to
make
housing
fair
and
accessible
for
all,”
Manny
Garcia,
senior
population
scientist
at
Zillow,
said
in
a
statement.
“Over
half
of
respondents
report
experiencing
housing
discrimination.
Fair
housing
issues
are
more
likely
to
be
top
of
mind
for
younger
generations,
likely
attributable
to
their
higher
likelihood
of
moving,
renting
and
buying
a
home
more
frequently
than
older
generations,
given
their
current
stage
of
life.”

While
more
than
half
of
respondents
reported
having
a
discriminatory
experience,
less
than
half
(42%)
said
that
fair
housing
impacts
them
or
their
family
members.
Zillow
posited
that
further
work
is
required
to
“educate
people
about
their
rights
under
fair
housing
laws.”

Eighty
percent
of
those
surveyed
believe
that
owning
a
home
is
“critical”
for
building
and
sharing
generational
wealth,
while
70%
agreed
that
owning
a
home
“is
necessary
to
achieve
the
American
dream.”

More
than
50
years
after
the
passage
of
the
Fair
Housing
Act,
people
of
color
continue
to
own
homes
at
much
lower
rates
than
whites.
According
to

data
from
the

U.S.
Census
Bureau,
the
homeownership
rate
for
whites
in
fourth-quarter
2023
was
73.8%.
The
rate
for
Asian
Americans
was
63%,
with
Hispanic
Americans
at
49.8%
and
African
Americans
at
45.9%.

Saving
for
a
down
payment
is
often
one
of
the
key
obstacles
to
owning
a
home,
Zillow
noted.

Down
payment
assistance
(DPA)
programs
are
a
way
for
real
estate
agents
and
mortgage
originators
to
bridge
the
gap
for
their
clients.

More
than
2,000
DPA
programs
are
available
in
the
U.S.
at
the
city,
county
and
state
levels.
These
programs
typically
take
the
shape
of
a
second
mortgage,
deferred
loan,
forgivable
loan
or
grant.

Earlier
this
month,
the

U.S.
Department
of
Housing
and
Urban
Development

awarded
$30
million
to
78
agencies
in
37
states,
the
District
of
Columbia
and
Puerto
Rico
to
combat
Fair
Housing
Act
violations.

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