Roll into a hood near you. Chances are good that it has been blockbusted.

Blockbusting was a perfectly legal scam in the 1950s. Here’s how blockbusting worked.

A predatory real estate speculator would purchase a house in a white neighborhood.

The predator moved their black client into the house, usually charging the black client above-market rates.

Then the predator—or their compadres—actively scared the white neighbors. “You wouldn’t want your children to go to school with them, would you? Your wife isn’t safe. And your property values are about to drop. Get out while the price is still right.”

The white family would sell their house far below market value, often to the same predator who scared them away. Sometimes the white family would move into a house managed by that same predator, too.

The predator turned around to sell it to another black client, usually above the market rate.

“Buy low, sell high,” as they say.

The predator took advantage of these first-time black homeowners. Many banks wouldn’t lend to black families, either out of racism or because the prospective homeowner lacked a credit history.

“Don’t worry,” the predator would say. “We can give you financing.”

One outsized downpayment and several unreasonable monthly payments later, the black client would default. Many would find themselves foreclosed on and evicted in a matter of months.

Wash, rinse, repeat.

Aye, I’m Jay. You’re on my personal site where I post things I make about interrupting mass incarceration, protecting migration, environmental justice & sustainability, language, communications, storytelling, creativity, and tech.

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