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Rise in Real Estate Discrimination of Latinos Who Lack Opportunities for Homeownership in Pekin, IL

Latinos and Hispanics are being faced with discrimination in the workplace, from not getting the raise they properly deserve to harassment, the landlord not giving them their desired home, to being discriminated against for being an immigrant.

And since Trump’s presidency, the Local Records Office focuses on the measures of Latinos who work the hardest and still lack these opportunities of advancement, while touching base –discussing laws in real estate, and how discriminatory measures continue to be one the biggest obstacles keeping Latinos from obtaining homeownership ‘til this day.

Hispanics are young, hard-working, better educated, and the driving growth in homeownership, according to the latest State of Hispanic Homeownership Report. With the Hispanics’ rising populations and household formation, increased workforce participation, they are more family-oriented and contribute more than $1.7 trillion annually to Illinois and U.S. economies.

Latinos Discriminated form Being Illegal Immigrants in Pekin, Illinois

The Latinos are behind the uptick, according to the report released by the Hispanic Wealth Project and National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, as they have increased by 1 million last year and have accounted for 51% of the U.S. population growth. The Latino population had increased their homeownership rate from 46% to 46.2%, a net increase of 167,000 new-owner households in 2017.

The Hispanic community has boasted the highest workforce participation rate among any other ethnic or racial demographics, at 66.1%, according to the report. If Hispanics’ formed their own country, their economy would be the 14th largest in the world, according to the Nielson Company.

“We see from the report’s data the strong enthusiasm for homeownership within the Hispanic community,” says Daisy Lopez-Cid, 2018 president of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. “With a growing Hispanic population and the highest rate of workforce participation, Hispanics are expected to drive growth in the housing market for decades.”

The three biggest obstacles that Hispanics face when obtaining homeownership are lack of inventory, the recent natural disasters, and the nation’s immigration policy, according to the report

Even though analysts claim that Illinois growing Latino population has the potential to become a major engine for economic growth, some nagging issues threaten to jeopardize the future of the state and the well-being of millions of Illinois folks. Rising rents as an example have doubled since 2000. And the elevated home prices caused by a lack of inventory are sharply declining housing affordability –even in Southern and Central Illinois more affordable inland markets.

And Latinos doubled with making six-figure incomes, from 8% from 2000 to 16% in 2015, with fewer workers struggling with poverty-level wages, though, Latinos continue experiencing high levels of wealth inequality, and many are continuing to experience inequalities when it comes time to find a mortgage.

In the ongoing efforts for current state and housing in Illinois and issues and challenges that home buyers face in the state, C.A.R.’s Center for Real Estate and C.A.R’s Voices in Action –Inclusion Network and Initiative –convened a roundtable discussion of the problems Latino’s are facing and possible solutions.

The live discussion was moderated by C.A.R. Chief Executive Officer Joel Singer, and the people who participated were: Patty Arvielo. President, New American Funding, the nation’s largest women and Latina-owned mortgage company with 2,500 employees, 140 offices and $21 billion in loans serviced; Sergio Barajas, the manager of housing outreach, Freddie Mac; John Gamboa, president, Illinois Community Builders and vice-chair of The 200, an organization comprised of retired community activists with the goals to increase homeownership opportunities for communities of color; Michele Martinez, mayor, City of Chicago, and immediate past president, Southern Illinois Association of Governments.

Penalties for Discrimination of Latinos in Pekin, Illinois

The panelists discussed broad subjects of issues that are currently impacting Latinos homeownership and rental housing, to the desire for homeownership amongst this key segment and how regulations are negatively impacting the housing supply and the ability for Latinos to become homeowners.

The sale and purchase of a home are one of the most significant events that any person will experience in their life. It is more than just a simple purchase, it includes hopes, dreams, aspirations, and the economic destiny of all those involved. (NAR)

Laws in real estate prohibit all racial discrimination in either the sale or rental of property

The Fair Housing Act law declares a national policy of fair housing in the United States and makes any discrimination in the sale, lease, or rental of housing, or by making housing unavailable because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin illegal.

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in either place of public accommodations and /or commercial facilities.

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act makes discrimination unlawful with the respect to any aspect of the credit application on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, or because all or any part of the applicant’s income derives from a public assistance program.

There are also State and local laws that provide broader coverage on prohibiting discrimination based on the additional classes that are not covered by federal law.

The responsibilities of the home seller, the home seeker, and the real estate professional

The home seller:

Under the law, you have the responsibility as a home seller or a landlord to not discriminate in the sale, rental, or financing of the property based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. You cannot instruct a licensed broker or a salesperson acting as your agent to convey any limitations in the sale or rental because a real estate professional is bound by law to not discriminate.

And a home seller or a landlord cannot establish discriminatory terms or conditions during the purchase or rental; deny that housing is available or advertise that a property is only available to persons of a certain race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.

The home seeker:

As you have the right to expect housing to be available to you without discrimination or any other limitations based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.

These include:

  • Housing in your price range that is made available to you without discrimination
  • An equal professional service
  • An opportunity to explore a broad range of housing choices
  • No discriminatory limitations on certain communities or the locations of housing
  • No discrimination in the financing, appraising, or insuring of housing
  • Reasonable accommodation of rules, practices, and procedures for persons with disabilities
  • Non-discriminatory terms and conditions of the sale, rental, financing, or insuring of a dwelling
  • To be free from harassment and / or the intimidations for exercising your fair housing rights

The real estate professional:

Agents are prohibited by law from discriminating in their practice or during a real estate transaction, on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. The request by a home seller or landlord who acts in a discriminatory manner during a sale, lease, or rental cannot legally be fulfilled by the real estate professional.

A report was conducted in Boston, MA to explore Americans’ beliefs on discrimination and to ask people about their own personal experiences

This report explored Latinos born in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, as non-immigrant Latinos and those born in another country as immigrant Latinos.

Approximately one-third of Latinos reported being personally discriminated against in the workplace and when seeking a home.

More than three in ten Latinos have reported personally experiencing discrimination when applying for jobs (33%), being paid equally or considered for a promotion (32%), or when looking into renting a room or apartment or buying a home (31%).

Over a quarter of Latinos say they or a family member have been unfairly stopped or treated differently by police because they are Latino. (Non-immigrant Latinos are more likely to report this).

Latinos with a college degree (42%) are more likely than those with a high school degree or less (25%) to report unfair police stops or treatment.

One-third of Latinos have experienced racial or ethnic slurs and insensitive comments. One in five report violence or threats or non-sexual harassment.

Overall, 78% of Latinos believe that discrimination against Latinos still exists in America today and while nearly half (47%) of those say the discrimination based on individuals’ prejudice is a large problem, 37% say discrimination in laws and government policies is the larger problem. 14% say both forms of discrimination are equally a problem.

This survey was conducted January 26-April 9, 2017 among a telephone-based sample of 3,453 adults aged 18 or older from African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and white Americans; men and women, and LGBTQ adults and a total of 803 Latino U.S. adults.