I used to work at Habitat for Humanity in Jacksonville. I wondered for some time why houses were being built in the very neighborhoods the homebuyers, nine out of ten being black, were already living in. Why would they want to live in the areas they were trying to get out of?

#1 reason was they couldn't afford to buy even a Habitat home in other parts of Jacksonville. An interest free mortgage loan is great but it doesn't cover the yearly cost of property tax and other such costs. Homebuyers are educated on every aspect of buying and owning a house so these extra costs are considered in the qualification process.

Sometimes stuff has exactly nothing to do with racism. Go figure.

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