DIFFERENCES IN THE HOUSING QUALITY OF WHITE, BLACK, AND HISPANIC UNITED-STATES ELDERLY HOUSEHOLDS

Research has consistently linked minority status with the higher rates of housing problems found among elderly households. Given the project ed increase in the relative size of Black and Hispanic elderly populat ion groups, their housing needs are of particular interest to policyma kers. Drawing on data from the American Housing Survey, this article a ssesses how the physical housing conditions of elderly (age 60+) White , Black, and Hispanic homeowners and renters differ and whether these differences persist after controlling for other relevant influences of housing quality. Black elderly households and to a lesser extent Hisp anic elderly households were living in worse quality housing than Whit e elderly households. Elderly Hispanic households were also living in overall better housing than elderly Black households. The findings arg ue for the targeting of elderly Black homeowners and renters and Hispa nic owners as housing-deprived groups.