Buying While Black: Barriers to Black Homeownership in the GTHA

Homeownership has traditionally served as a primary avenue for wealth accumulation among Canadian households. However, many Black Canadians still face barriers to homeownership, particularly in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area (GTHA). With homeownership rates among Black households within the Toronto CMA remaining the lowest at 38.9%, compared to 62.3% for racialized groups and 67.9% for non-racialized groups, a significant economic disparity persists. This gap impedes the intergenerational transfer of wealth for Black households, exacerbating existing economic inequalities.

This study promotes improved access to homeownership for Black Canadians as part of a broader effort to confront systemic anti-Black racism in societal and institutional frameworks. Achieving this goal requires comprehensive governmental policies and investments, as well as reforms within the real estate sector, to address and raise awareness of the obstacles confronting potential Black homeowners. Additionally, community-level investments are crucial to empower Black and other racialized groups to participate in wealth accumulation through the housing market, fostering intergenerational prosperity and socioeconomic equity.

Our Main Goals

01
To explore the role real estate professionals play in shaping access to homeownership for Black individuals
02
To understand the factors influencing the homeownership experiences of Black households in the Greater Toronto Area
03
To assess elements contributing to the discriminatory barriers to homeownership among Black households

The research explores the obstacles that hinder homeownership for Black Canadians using a mixed-method approach that incorporates statistical analysis, survey data, and qualitative interviews with Black homebuyers and real estate professionals.

KEY BARRIERS FACING BLACK HOMEBUYERS

01 I Financial Barriers

Challenges in securing down payments, qualifying for mortgages, and accessing equity.

02 I Financial Literacy and Knowledge about the Homebuying Process

Limited exposure to the home-buying process, weak financial literacy, and difficulty accessing reliable information.

03 I Racial Discrimination

Discriminatory treatment when attempting to purchase a home, including more scrutiny on mortgage applications, steering towards racialized neighbourhoods, undervaluation of homes, and rejection of offers without apparent cause.

This study/research was led by Dr. Nemoy Lewis and Abigail Moriah and received funding from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) under the National Housing Strategy (NHS) Research and Planning Fund.

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Research Team

Dr. Nemoy Lewis

Principal Investigator

Toronto Metropolitan University

Alexander Lovell
Senior Research Analyst

Selma Elkhazin

Research Assistant

Abigail Moriah

Project Director

Black Planning Project 

Richard Maaranen

Senior Research Analyst

Jamila Gowie

Research Assistant

Hanaa Ali

Research Project Manager

Black Planning Project 

Dr. Orlena Broomes

Senior Research Analyst

Jodie Laborde

Research Assistant

Funders and Partners

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