Join Omer Ali for the next installment of the Race &... Lecture Series.

The Race &... Lecture Series is a lunchtime speaker series that introduces and showcases the work of Pitt faculty. Existing faculty members will have the opportunity to briefly introduce themselves and their work and then introduce one of the new faculty members. The new faculty member can then describe their work and interests for about 15 minutes, with 10 minutes scheduled for a question-and-answer period. 

Omer Ali, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, will present "The impact of federal housing policies on racial inequality: the case of the Federal Housing Administration."

The impact of federal housing policies on racial inequality The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) began insuring residential mortgages in 1935 in response to the widespread housing and liquidity crisis precipitated by the Great Depression. The agency is credited with expanding home-ownership among American households. There is growing evidence, however, that its programs were implemented in a manner that discriminated against African Americans. This talk estimates the effect of the FHA's mortgage insurance program between 1935 and 1939 on racial disparities in home-ownership and home values.