The research paper takes a critical look at the subprime mortgage market to evaluate the presence of reverse redlining in tracts with high minority concentrations in Los Angeles County area. The research finds that some of the concerns regarding reverse redlining and price discrimination might be exaggerated. The study finds that the household income and loan characteristics explain much of the reasons for subprime originations and that subprime lenders are not targeting low-income minorities, even in tracts with high minority concentrations.(More)

The term, Acilhtalbixw Xwaac'al'al, means Native American longhouse in the Lushootseed language, which describes the type of housing inhabited by the First Peoples of this land for thousands of years. The specific purpose of this project is to respond to the following research questions, as determined by Tribally Designated Housing Entity (TDHE) staff and board members, and community members across 34 voting members of the Northwest Indian Housing Association (NWIHA): a) To what extent have longstanding policies that extend from the development of tribal treaties to the passage and implementation of the Housing Act of 1937 impacted individual TDHEs' efforts to increase homeownership of tribal members in the Pacific Northwest (PNW)?; b) To what extent have local, regional, and federal policies enacted since the passage of Native American Housing and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) helped to promote decent affordable housing among TDHEs and the communities they serve in the PNW?; c) To what extent could enhanced homeownership opportunities amongst tribes in the PNW assist in strengthening communities by improving physical conditions, ending chronic homelessness, moving homeless families and individuals to permanent housing, and mitigate housing conditions that threaten health?; d)To what extent would housing accessibility for people with disabilities or other special needs in PNW Tribes served to ensure that all people have equal opportunity to housing?; e) To what extent do PNW TDHEs embrace high standards of ethics, management, and accountability in order to meet HUD performance standards?; and f) To what extent have partnerships with other community organizations helped TDHEs resulted in increases in TDHEs' ability to promote affordable homeownership?(More)

The purpose of this research is to identify and sharpen current measurements of income inequality and to identify and categorize what, if any, roles Smart-Growth initiatives and income inequality play in mediating housing outcomes. Particular interest is given to regions with high population growth and a concentration of high-technology production and producer services. I am proposing a statistical analysis of changes in housing opportunity, income inequality, and land-use growth controls in the 50 most populous U.S. MSAs (1999) between 1970 and 2000.(More)

The purpose of this study is to show the neighborhood level effects of subprime mortgage lending on social cohesion, social control, and social disorder. Many scholars have studied racial disparities between denial rates for minorities and non-minorities. According to the racial disparity scholars, minorities have been closing the homeownership disparity gap. There is evidence that this phenomenon is a result of subprime mortgage loans. (More)

This paper analyzes the attitude of municipal development elites in California toward a state law that mandates a density bonus in land use zoning for the construction of affordable housing. Utilizing a survey of all California cities, this research attempts to ascertain the extent to which cities utilize the Density Bonus in the context of local competition and local politics. (More)

This dissertation addresses the critical role of landlords in implementing the Housing Choice Voucher program. Housing choice vouchers provide tenant-based rental assistance to low-income families so that they can have greater opportunities to select apartments and locations than under other rental housing assistance programs. Vouchers provide a renter with more location, quality, and housing type options than project-based subsidized housing. The program’s ability to increase choice depends heavily on the decisions of private landlords to accept voucher tenants. (More)

The objective of this research is to extend the knowledge of urban structure by investigating the interplay between segments of urban areas at political borders. While there is extensive literature on the spatial interactions of cities and suburbs through employment changes, migration and growth controls, much less attention has been paid to the spatial interactions across boundaries. The research will look both at the spillovers between city and suburb as well as among suburbs that share common borders. My hypothesis is that because some amenities are less excludable than others, property values would reflect a decay function at the political boundary as opposed to the more commonly anticipated step-function.(More)

This analysis focuses on the role of private mortgage lenders originating loans through one particular public homeownership initiative: the Mortgage Revenue Board (MRB) program. MRBs are tax-exempt private activity bonds issued by state or local housing finance agencies (HFAs). HFAs sell the bonds to investors at reduced interest rates (because the interest earned is tax-exempt), and use the savings to buy down the interest rate on private mortgages to low-income borrowers. Recent legislation passed by Congress in 2008 and administrative actions by the U.S. Treasury in 2009 have the potential to increase both the demand and supply of MRB subsidized mortgages (H.R. 3221; U.S. Treasury 2009). It is thus critical to evaluate the factors that contribute to the ability of the MRB program to provide access to underserved "needy" homebuyers and to ensure sustainable homeownership. While the MRB loan product is targeted to low- and moderate-income homebuyers, there has been significant controversy over the years about the ability of the program to serve a truly "needy" group of borrowers (Cooperstein 1992; Durning 1992). Further, in light of the recent mortgage crisis, there is concern that affordable loan programs, like the MRB program, will become the next "subprime" strategy if access to homeownership is provided without sufficient emphasis on long-term sustainability. (More)