Oregon Historical Quarterly

Abstract:

This Local History Spotlight documents Portland State University students' research on how barriers to homeownership in communities of color have influenced the concentration of wealth and inequality in Portland, Oregon. The students conducted research by using crowdsourcing efforts to obtain property deed information, and partnered with other university students and local organizations to disseminate their initial findings. The authors concluded that “by documenting racially restrictive covenants, we revealed the many ways that people of color have been denied access to property in Portland, how they navigated restrictions to purchasing homes, and the ongoing legacies of housing inequality in our community.”