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Wealth Gap Analysis

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As outlined in chapter 10 of the course text, inequality in housing and wealth is a major problem. The United States is described to be the most unequal countries in the western hemisphere. But with the inequalities when it comes to wealth, the United States is one of the richest countries in the world. Wealth is the sum total of a person’s assets. These assets include, cash in the bank and value of all properties, not only land but houses, cars, stocks, and bonds, and retirements savings. Wealth is one of the factors why residential segregation is an increasing problem. Golash- Boza explains, “Residential segregation happened when different groups of people are sorted into discount neighborhoods” (271). It is because of housing segregation …show more content…

Golash-Boza states that African Americans and Latinos have less than 8 percent of the wealth that whites have. Because African Americans as well as Latinos make less money than Whites, they are unable to own the same type of homes Whites are able to. Based on a study conducted by Shapiro, Meschede, and Osoro; the wealth gap is attributed to five factors. These factors are years of homeownership, household income, years of unemployment, college education, and inheritances or financial support from family members. Years of homeownership accounted for the largest portion of the differences between White and African American families. It is explained that Whites are able to acquire homes earlier in life because they statistically face less obstacles than their Black counterparts. Since whites are able to acquire houses earlier in life than Blacks, they are also able to build home equity for long term home ownership as well as financial support from family members. The wage gap also widens by the fact that African Americans face discrimination from real estate agents who steal them towards black neighborhoods. The wealth gap between Blacks and Whites causes different opportunities for both parties. Wealth allows families to invest in their families futures such as higher education. Whites have better opportunities to provides their families with such resources compared to Blacks. It is up to the government to provide wealth generating programs to the less fortunate and under

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