Title: Redlining in the Twin Cities in 1934: 1960's and Today
Headings: Redlining in the Twin Cities in 1934: 1960's and Today
Redlining in the Twin Cities in 1934: 1960's and Today
HOLC Map
Historical Compilation, Data and Map Analysis from:

Content: Redlining in the Twin Cities in 1934: 1960's and Today



Redlining in the Twin Cities in 1934: 1960's and Today

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HOLC Map
As a part of the New Deal in the 1930s, the Federal Housing Administration classified urban residential areas in terms of their lending risk for the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC). The program itself was designed to make home ownership more accessible for first time home buyers, and facilitate the refinancing of existing home mortgages. While the classifications were determined in part by housing conditions, racial and immigration characteristics were also used to determine the status of areas. As shown on this HOLC map, 'Hazardous' red areas were often comprised of people of color, immigrant groups and Jews, and in those places the government dissuaded the underwriting of loans. Yellow areas were also less favorable, deemed 'Declining', while blue 'Desirable' and especially green 'Best' areas became mostly likely to have loans underwritten. HOLC maps were made in most medium and large cities across the United States, and in 1934, like in other cities, this map was commissioned by local public and private officials.1
The drawing of red lines around areas that were racially segregated (now known as “redlining”) became codified in practice and supported by law, and along with racial covenants and other forms of discrimination, are major factors in shaping current levels of racial segregation and wealth gaps. Though fair housing laws passed in the 1960's eliminated many of the public policies that attempted to separate and discriminate against people on the basis of their race, the patterns from that era persist in our cities today. Moreover, other practices still help reinforce racial and economic segregation.