Teen Vogue, April 21, 2023, Redlining And Hotter Neighborhoods: How Racist Housing Policies Created Urban Heat Islands
The system worked like this: green and blue neighborhoods were deemed “best” or “still desirable,” and primarily white residents of these areas received the most loans. Only 15% of residents from yellow, or “definitely declining” areas received loans. And red, or “hazardous” neighborhoods, rarely received loans or insurance coverage. “Redlined” areas often contained Black, Latinx, Jewish, and immigrant populations that were deemed too risky for investment. Due to the HOLC system, these marginalized communities were denied access to fair housing and the opportunity for generational wealth accumulation. The legacy of these policies still affects residents today. According to the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, 74% of “hazardous” neighborhoods are low-to-moderate income today and 64% are minority neighborhoods.
