BUFFALO, N.Y. — Over the past 10 years, homeownership in the U.S. has seen a boom with 10.5 million new homeowners, according to the National Association of Realtors.
Asian-Americans saw the highest spike in homeownership rates at 63%, and Hispanic-Americans at 51%.
Black homeowners had the slowest rate of growth at 44%.
Brandi Barrett, program manager at Broadway Fillmore Neighborhood Housing Services, said she sees that issue firsthand with prospective homeowners on Buffalo’s East Side.
“In my lifetime this was one of, to me, one of the safest neighborhoods that I felt most comfortable,” said Barrett. “You can, you know, borrow a cup of sugar from Ms. Johnson’s house or you can walk to your church right around the corner, or you can walk to daycare on Orange Street. We don’t have those amenities anymore.”
Barrett said in Buffalo, she blames development that fails to serve the community’s needs.
“You have high property taxes but very few amenities or I would say resources to complement these neighborhoods,” said Barrett. “It just creates a formula of an unaffordable market.”
People seeking to purchase vacant properties alone are taking advantage of help from BFNHS to secure grants.
“We launched our vacant rental program application intake in late December of 2024 and by March of 2025 we were fully subscribed,” she said.
Barrett said she believes the issue could be better addressed if developers gave residents a seat at the table before building. She said she wants to see her 11-year-old daughter have the choice between taking over the family home or planting roots wherever she dreams.
The New York State Mortgage Agency is also working to counter these trends.
They have programs available to help minority home buyers and communities that face housing discrimination.
