The Racist And Troubling History Behind HOAs

gavel next to figurine that says homeowners association
Tremain Prioleau II
January 5, 2025

Homeowners associations (HOAs) became popular among white Americans in the 1960s, driven by the appearance of suburbs. But this wasn't the only reason. White homeowners were so afraid of something that they needed the “protection” of these associations.

White Americans desired to live in white neighborhoods, free from Blackness. In 1948, in Shelley v. Kraemer the Supreme Court ruled that racially restrictive covenants on housing were illegal. So, HOAs were formed to preserve this exclusionary privilege of whiteness.

The list of exclusionary practices mandated by HOAs is long. Everything from prospective resident interviews, minimum credit score requirements, background checks, and more were explicitly designed to discriminate against Black people. The effects of this list are obvious today.

According to research from 2019, 80% of homes in new subdivisions are part of a homeowners association, and these neighborhoods tend to have more white and Asian residents than Black residents. The goal was exclusion, and these rules work to keep us out, but we can build our own communities.

From zoning to schools and access to grocery stores, white supremacy works to exclude us and make us feel lesser than others. But together, we can build our own safe and welcoming communities free from racist rules.

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