Biden Administration to Tackle Racial Disparities in Home Values (1)

When Jacquelyn and Cassius Priestly prepared for an appraisal of their home, they knew that they wouldn’t be able to “whitewash” it by taking down any pictures of themselves or other African-American family members — because they lived in Prince George’s County, Maryland, which is predominantly Black. But such “whitewashing” is what many Black homeowners resort to, because of an understanding that any signifiers of Black ownership could lead to an undervaluation of the property by appraisers.

The $1.2 million appraisal the couple initially received surprised them, said Jacquelyn Priestly, speaking at the White House Wednesday with U.S. Department of Housing and ...