By Daryl Strickland
Chinese immigrants have a higher rate of homeownership than whites with similar incomes in three major markets, according to a study that is scheduled to be released Friday.
The study suggests that more housing will be needed in gateway cities where Chinese Americans tend to cluster. Moreover, the study concludes that immigrant status doesn't necessarily lead to lower rates of homeownership, a point that researchers have grappled over.
In San Francisco, Chinese immigrants ranked 23% higher than whites, 20% higher in Los Angeles and 18% higher in New York, said Gary Painter, who completed the study and heads the research department at the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate. It remains unclear whether the pattern results from an extreme desire for homeownership or whether Chinese Americans have access to more resources than other minority groups.
The results, part of a broader study on homeownership rates by race, were based on 1990 Census data. More recent figures are being released, but Painter said he expects the trend to remain the same.