The Minneapolis Area Realtors (MAR) has issued an official apology for discriminatory practices in real estate. Additionally, the group has outlined specific plans to help close the homeownership gap between black and white residents.

Denise Mazone, the first MAR black president, was emotional while reading a formal letter of apology.

“We were on the wrong side of history. Shame and sincerity alone don’t create meaningful change. We’re committed to making strides at the local, state, and national level around policies and practices. “This is the time. It’s long overdue,” she continued.

“I’m grateful to bring these issues forward and talk about it, especially having some sort of policy behind it because it is time. I work with a lot of first-time homebuyers and the best thing in the world is to see a first-time homebuyer close on a property. I have a closing tomorrow and they’ve already called me three times today they’re so happy.”

Minnesota was one of the first states to use racial covenants on homes. This made it illegal for black people to live in “white neighborhoods.” Although this is no longer in effect, the scars remain, and the statistics show it.

Today, three out of four white Minnesota residents are homeowners, but only one in four black residents are homeowners. Also, the rate of black homeownership is 50% lower than white home ownership in the region. Unfortunately, the disparity has worsened since the 1950s.

As part of their plan to combat this radical disparity in homeownership, the following measures were formally announced:

• Update MAR’s classes on the state’s purchase agreement form to connect the removal of language regarding down payment sources to the issue of racial discrimination.

• Educate all incoming real estate agents about racism in real estate and the association’s responsibility to reduce the racial gap in homeownership and collaborate with the statewide Minnesota Realtors Association on the effort.

• Expand MAR’s funding of Pathway to Achievement scholarship candidates to increase participation from racial minority groups working in real estate.

• Recommend that the National Association of Realtors adopt a public policy supporting development of a federal down payment assistance program for first-time and first- generation homebuyers.

  
  

Officials said that these steps were a starting point, and we could expect further policy recommendations in due course. The MAR was established in 1887 and serves more than 9,000 realtors in the Twin Cities metro area.