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Finding Housing: Discrimination and Exploitation of Latinos in the Post-Katrina Rental Market

Winthrop University

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: weiljh{at}winthrop.edu.

	Abstract

This case study investigates the discriminatory and exploitative housing practices that contributed to the social marginalization of Latinos in the Gulf Coast Recovery Zone following Hurricane Katrina. Discriminatory practices (such as denial of available units or rejection of Latinos from homeless shelters) leave migrants vulnerable to homelessness and economic exploitation. The most vulnerable Latinos are those who hold an undocumented legal status, have marginal occupational status, or have limited English ability. These vulnerabilities are magnified following a disaster when housing is in short supply, group tensions are high, employers are heavily involved in allocation of housing, and government oversight is lacking. Using 25 interviews with established and newly arrived Latino immigrants on the Gulf Coast, the author finds that these four factors—legal status, occupational status, limited English language ability, and the disaster context—contributed to the exploitation of and discrimination against Latinos in the housing market following Katrina.

First published on September 23, 2009
Organization & Environment 2009, doi:10.1177/1086026609347194


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