Locked Out: Hispanic Underrepresentation in Federally-Assisted Housing Programs

Abstract

Hispanics—the nation's poorest group—face a number of severe problems trying to meet their needs, including deficient, overcrowded, and costly housing. Yet, Hispanics are underrepresented in federal housing programs designed for low-income families. Not enough is know about Hispanics and the barriers they face in trying to find housing for their families, or about why low-income Hispanics are less likely than other poor families to participate in federally-assisted housing programs.

To help fill this information gap, NCLR designed and conducted a focus group study of Latinos in Chicago, IL; Phoenix, AZ; and Washington, DC. This report presents, in greater detail, highlights from those discussions.