Housing Inequality in America (2022)

As the housing crisis worsens globally, individuals are experiencing the negative effects of housing inequality. A review of research on housing in the United States reveals the extent of housing disparities. Housing is directly correlated with disparities in education, as a lower tax base undercuts school funding and disadvantages certain individuals more than others. For example, socioeconomic status affects the quality of housing available to people; and racial minorities more often face disadvantages than do white people. Some housing policies are also intertwined, so that it is difficult and expensive to engineer change. One might say that there is no “one size fits all” solution to solving disparities within the housing industry because this problem is intersectional. However, our findings suggest that better policies and more funding for programs to help mend the gap will help decrease housing inequality.