Retracing the shameful history of redlining in real estate

The days of race-based housing discrimination in the U.S. may be legally behind us, but the legacy of attitudes and practices that kept nonwhite citizens out of some neighborhoods remains pervasive. “Redlining” was one of these practices notorious in American real estate history.

What is redlining? Today, the term can refer to any form of racial discrimination related to real estate. But historically it refers to a form of government-backed bias and inequity in housing dating back to the 1930s.

America’s discriminatory past can still be seen today with nonwhite mortgage borrowers generally getting charged higher interest rates and through persistent “voluntary” neighborhood segregation.

Learn more about the history and legacy of redlining practices by reading my newest article for Bankrate, available here.