Black Couple Whose Home was Assessed for Far More When a White Friend Posed as Homeowner Settles Discrimination Lawsuit

In 2020 Paul Austin and Tenisha Tate-Austin’s Marin County, California home assessed for $995,000. They were unsure that the amount was reflective of the work they’d put into the home since they purchased it four years earlier and sought another opinion.

The second assessment landed on a much higher price—$1,482,500. What changed between the first and second assessment? The second time, the Tate family asked a white friend to pose as the homeowner.

The couple filed a civil rights lawsuit in federal court against Janette Miller and Miller and Perotti Real Estate Appraisals Inc. and settled earlier this week for an undisclosed amount.

The Tate’s lawsuit isn’t the first of its kind. In fact, according to a study conducted in 2021 by Freddie Mac, Black and Latino homeowners are approximately twice as likely to receive lower assessments for their homes.

This gap widens with homes in historically Black and Latino neighborhoods, which have consistently been undervalued—well after the practice of redlining was deemed illegal.

Furthermore almost 85% of home appraisers in the country identify as white, while under 2% identify as Black.

Similarly, discriminatory lending practices have long been yet another factor in low rates of homeownership within communities of color.

What actionable things can be done to fix this systemic issue?

#homeowner #civilrights #homeappraisal #california #marincounty #systemicracism #discrimination #history #redlining