Race and Housing: 20th Century United States

Throughout U.S. history, housing and land policies were deliberately constructed to deny Black households access to homeownership. This discrimination created profound disadvantages for Black families and communities, with lasting effects on educational and economic opportunities for later generations.

In honor of Black History Month, and in an effort to educate our community on this history so that all we all more fully understand the devastating impacts we see today, take a trip through the decades here.

A tradition of radical inclusivity is a core guiding principle of our work — 40% of Habitat homeowners are Black families, and two-thirds are from BIPOC households. Habitat is committed to advancing racial equity through advocacy and empowering our homeowners to build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. We understand that we cannot build our way out of this alone, we must also address the systemic inequalities through advocacy and partnerships throughout our communities and networks.

Learn more about our policy solutions to help remedy years of discriminatory housing policies and join us in helping to ensure all families have a stable, affordable place to call home.