AG Campbell releases guide protecting Massachusetts homebuyers from discrimination

BOSTON (WWLP) - Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell released the office's first 'Know Your Rights' consumer guide on Wednesday, aimed at protecting homebuyers and homeowners against appraisal discrimination.

AG Campbell released this guide to help consumers understand and identify both explicit and subtle signs of appraisal discrimination. This can include written commentary referring to the race, national origin, or other protected characteristics of a homeowner or neighborhood, or assigning a lower value to a home based on the race of the homeowner or the racial composition of the neighborhood.

The Attorney General's Office stated that in Massachusetts, the homeownership rate is 37.4% for black families and 70.4% for white families. Furthermore, national research from the Brookings Institution finds that homes in black neighborhoods are valued at 23% less than those in non-black neighborhoods, even when having similar quality and amenities.

AG Campbell said that the racial wealth gap in the state is impacted by racial disparities in the rates of homeownership and in the financial returns associated with owning a home, including the bias in home valuation. She hopes that through this guide, homeowners and homebuyers can recognize and report appraisal discrimination.

Consumers who believe they have received a discriminatory home appraisal are urged to file a consumer complaint with the Attorney General's Office online or through the Civil Rights Division at 617-963-2917.