What does homeownership have to do with democracy? Simply put, lower rates of homeownership depress voter turnout. Since the 2008 housing crisis, Black and Latino homeownership rates have fallen and lagged well behind that of white Americans. Today, black homeownership is as low as it was in 1968. Along with other factors, lower ownership helped tip election in key states like Florida and Michigan in 2016. These statistics help us understand racial inequality, how it exists, and the implications for the upcoming election and for multiracial democracy.

Jacob Rugh is an Associate Professor of Sociology at BYU. His research focuses on race, residential segregation, and immigration in the United States.

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