Linkages between historical redlining and contemporary indicators of structural racism and discrimination across 5 North Carolina metropolitan areas

Source abstract

Historical manifestations of structural racism and discrimination (SRD; e.g. 1930s redlining) have been linked to current adverse health outcomes, yet less is known about linkages to present-day neighborhood conditions. We advance existing literature by linking historical and contemporary manifestations of SRD at the neighborhood-level across five metropolitan areas in North Carolina. Historical (Homeowner’s Loan Corporation [HOLC]) neighborhood classifications (ranging from A [green/“best”] to D [red/“hazardous”]) were spatially linked at the census-tract level to contemporary manifestations of SRD: multi-dimensional measures of residential segregation, racial disparity in mortgage denials, housing cost burden, and a gentrification index. We generated figures to descriptively represent the relationship between HOLC grades and contemporary manifestations of SRD and examine the change in neighborhood conditions over time. Across all metro areas, tracts previously graded C/D had the highest Black-non-Hispanic white residential segregation. Additionally, these tracts had wider Black-non-Hispanic-white mortgage lending disparities and higher housing cost burdens compared with areas formerly graded A/B. Most tracts deemed either “gentrified” or “intense gentrification” were formerly classified as Grade C, while the majority of formerly redlined (Grade D) tracts were considered “eligible, not gentrified.” These results indicate a persistent connection between historical and contemporary manifestations of SRD.