UMass Donahue Institute

In 2019, across Massachusetts, home purchase loans to borrowers of color did not match their respective population shares, according to new report from the Massachusetts Community & Banking Council Report. “Mortgage Lending Trends in Massachusetts” was prepared by UMass Donahue Institute’s Economic & Public Policy Research Group. The report utilizes newly available Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data which released a number of new metrics and variables. 

Across Massachusetts, home purchase loans continue to show that borrowers of color do not meet their respective population shares. Borrowers of color and low and moderate income borrowers tend to concentrate in specific geographic areas. Denial rates have declined across all groups, but continue to remain the highest for in Black and Hispanic/Latinx groups and in the City of Boston, even when controlling for income.