What is a common result of redlining?

Redlining is a discriminatory practice that involves denying services, typically financial, to residents of certain areas based on their racial or ethnic composition. This practice has historically led to a significant neglect of communities that were marked as high-risk by lenders, which often included predominantly minority neighborhoods. As a result, one common outcome of redlining is the deterioration of older neighborhoods.

When investment is withheld from these areas, properties can fall into disrepair, and the overall quality of life diminishes. This neglect affects not only the physical condition of the houses but can also lead to a decline in local businesses and services, thereby exacerbating social and economic challenges within the community. The lack of funding and resources for maintenance and improvement leads to a downward spiral of housing conditions and property values, ultimately affecting the residents' quality of life.

In contrast, appreciation of home values and increased funding for community services would typically require investment and support that redlining explicitly prevents. Similarly, the expansion of public transportation routes would usually be a sign of investment and growth in a community rather than a product of redlining, which tends to marginalize and under-resource affected neighborhoods.