Lessons from California’s Historical Alien Land Law: Racial Xenophobia and Home Ownership

CNK Director Paul Ong and researchers recently published a research project at the UCLA Ziman Real Estate, through the Rosalinde and Gilbert Research Program. The project examines the direct consequences of California’s Alien Land Laws on homeownership among Asians during the first half of the 20th century. The project utilized multiple data sources, showcasing the low homeownership rates among Asians, regardless of their citizenship status.

Deep-seated anti-Asian sentiments led to the creation of California Land Laws, barring Asian individuals from being homeowners. Alarmingly, states have passed contemporary legislations that prohibits foreigners in purchasing real estate properties, creating a new wave of these laws.

“While overt anti-Asian sentiment may be less intense today, Asian Americans continue to face discriminatory treatment, as evidenced by the surge in anti-Asian hate crimes during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This animus often stems from the perception of Asians as perpetual foreigners, exacerbated by rising global tensions with Asian nations. While the current wave of alien land laws may not explicitly target Asians, they have the potential to harm Asian Americans by restricting property ownership rights and fueling anti-Asian rhetoric,” CNK team concludes.

Read the article here: Lessons from California’s Historical Alien Land Law: Racial Xenophobia and Home Ownership