Abstract
This study examines the issue of fair housing from the standpoint of appraisal reports that determine the value of properties. Specifically, descriptors of crime within Arkansas appraisal reports are analyzed, along with completed interview questionnaires representing the mortgage lending, law enforcement, and home appraisal communities. This study provides pivotal findings with respect to appraisal reports in Arkansas and implications for public policy. Particularly, it finds that some of the most relevant stakeholders related to housing in Arkansas unfairly categorize certain geographic areas according to perceptions of crime, as indicated by a review of data found within appraisal reports. This study has implications for sales, rentals, and mortgage lending within the entire state of Arkansas; it also illustrates perpetuated stereotypes about specific groups of people. Finally, a significant policy recommendation is offered by this collaborative research.
Files
Metadata
- Alternative title
Arkansas Fair Housing
- Journal title
International Social Science Review
- Volume
89
- Issue
1
- Date submitted
18 July 2022
- Keywords
- Additional information
Acknowledgements:
David Montague, Shannon Rynders, Jennifer Bearden, and Jennifer M. Miller are all members of the Department of Justice, University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Carol Johnson is a member of the Arkansas Fair Housing Commission, and Emily Blank is in the Department of Economics at Howard University. The research team thanks the Arkansas Fair Housing Commission for their leadership in encouraging this study. We also appreciate the significant assistance and access provided by the Arkansas Appraisal License and Certification Board in opening their public files for review. The team appreciates the sincere support of the stakeholders who participated in the 2013 Arkansas State Fair Housing Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas. These individuals helped our team to consider current implications of our work.