“The boom-and-bust cycle in the U.S. housing market over the past decade and a half has generated greater gains and larger losses for minority groups than it has for whites, according to an analysis of housing, economic and demographic data by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center.

From 1995 through the middle of this decade, homeownership rates rose more rapidly among all minorities than among whites. But since the start of the housing bust in 2005, rates have fallen more steeply for two of the nation’s largest minority groups — blacks and native-born Latinos — than for the rest of the population.

Overall, the ups and downs in the housing market since 1995 have reduced the homeownership gap between whites and all racial and ethnic minority groups. However, a substantial gap persists. As of 2008, 74.9% of whites owned homes, compared with 59.1% of Asians, 48.9% of Hispanics and 47.5% of blacks.”

The graph accompanying the report is illustrative of the gains and more recent decline in the rates of  homeownership among our minority and immigrant communities.  The days of unregulated subprime mortgages are hopefully gone.  However, with a future that is sure to bring about  greater regulation of the lending institutions and more restrictive lending practices, what can be done to ensure the continued growth of  the rates of homeownership within our communities.   Are there tools already out there that our communities can utilize to overcome barriers of homeownership?  Do we as advocates need to work together to create additional tools to increase homeownership?