Racial Steering

For years the real-estate industry has developed a system that “favors” certain people less. That is of course is a euphuism for an oppressing operation set up by the wealthier class. Real-estate brokers have guided home buyers away or to certain neighborhoods based on their race. Racial Steering was defined by the Yale Law Journal as two classes. The first part is advising customers to purchase homes in particular neighborhoods on the basis of race. The second part is failing, on the basis of race, to show, or to inform buyers of homes that meet their specifications. In Detroit Michigan when the automobile industry opened it created many new jobs in 1916 to 1917. Many African Americans migrated to Detroit to find jobs. This migration changed the social and racial structure of Detroit. It also changed the city economically and politically causing city officials to face the racial tensions. The city officials allowed laws for racial segregation in the housing and employment. The United States Congress passed a series of Acts to stop segregation. The first act was the Civil Rights Act of 1866, says in subsections that “all persons born in the United States are citizens regardless of their race, color, or previous condition and as citizens they could make and enforce contracts, sue and be sued, give evidence in court and inherit, purchase, lease, sell, hold and convey real estate and personal property.” The Civil Rights Act of 1968 in subsection 3604 expanded the first Act. It prohibits the discrimination concerning the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin or sex. It could also be called The Fair Housing Act. This act is enforced on the nation, state and local level. There have been a number of lawsuits brought up by individuals and companies about racial discrimination. Century 21 Town and Country Vs. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights in 2006 is an example. This case involves the Michigan Department of Civil Rights suing the company Century 21 Town and Country of discrimination. There had been complaints to the Department of illegal racial steering. White homebuyers were steered to White neighborhoods and African American homebuyers to African American neighborhoods. This case is still pending.