The national economic and housing crisis has ravished communities all across the United States. This crisis continues to impact millions of people at all levels from those who are spending less on household items or foregoing a vacation, to those who have lost their jobs because of massive layoffs and even more to those who have lost their homes in foreclosure. California has been especially hard hit by the economic and housing downfall with a record high 10 percent unemployment rate and nearly 250,000 homes in foreclosure. Data in this report indicates that the racial and ethnic disparities that resulted from subprime lending practices were targeted at communities of color. These subprime loans are more likely to go into default and result in foreclosure.

urbanhabitat.org/files/REDI Housing Town Hall Report Final Revised.pdf

Hartley, Kris. (2009). “Transforming the Housing Crisis in Richmond, California.” Urban Habitat: Richmond Equitable Development Initiative (REDI), Oakland, California, March.