From Homeland to a Home: Immigrants and Homeownership in Urban America

I. Overview and Statement of Findings The 1990s was an extraordinary decade in terms of the number and cultural diversity of migrants who arrived to live in the United States. We are only beginning to appreciate the long-term implications of decisions and actions taken by individual migrants and American institutions during this period of strong economic growth. The influence of international migrants on the domestic labor force, social welfare expenditures, poverty rates, urban economic growth and social stability, population aging, and cultural diversity in the United States have sparked considerable research attention and speculation. The predilection of migrants for living in large cities has also encouraged analysis of their contribution to the revitalization of deteriorated neighborhoods and business areas, as well as their impact on housing demand, availability and price in both the rental and homeownership segments of the market.