Abstract:

Explores the rate of advancement into homeownership of immigrants vs native-borns in southern California, using 1980 & 1990 census data. Application of a double cohort method enables longitudinal trends for immigrants, due to aging & assimilation, to be distinguished from the cohort levels observable by cross-sectional techniques. Recent immigrants as well as young native-borns are newcomers to the housing market & have lower attainment levels than earlier arrivals or older cohorts. Cohort trajectories are tracked 1980-1990, adjusting for the influence of income, education, English proficiency, & marital status. Results indicate that Asian immigrants achieved extraordinarily high levels of homeownership soon after arrival, whereas Hispanic immigrants demonstrated sustained advancement into homeownership from initially very low levels.