ASSIMILATION AND STRATIFICATION IN THE HOMEOWNERSHIP PATTERNS OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC-GROUPS

This study investigates homeownership differences among twelve racial/ ethnic groups using the Public Use Sample data (PUMS) of the 1980 cens us. The analysis draws inspiration from two broad approaches in the li terature on spatial processes-one approach is labeled as ''assimilatio n'' and the other as ''stratification''-and includes both individual-l evel and contextual determinants. The study identifies a number of dif ferences among non-Hispanic whites, blacks, American Indians, and Asia n and Hispanic groups in access to homeownership. Majority group membe rs have the greatest probability of homeownership, net of compositiona l characteristics. They also are the most likely to be able to respond to the housing needs of married persons and households with children by buying a home, and they have one of the smallest disparities in own ership between persons of low and high income. Homeownership opportuni ties in the suburban portions of metropolitan areas have their greates t impact on majority group members, while minority homeownership is mo re responsive to the composition of the central-city housing stock. Ne vertheless, for every group there is a strong correspondence between h omeownership and various individual-level factors: age, household comp osition, socioeconomic position and language acculturation. The observ ed differences in ownership are substantially attenuated when group di fferences in some of these variables are controlled.