Two Black California business partners say they were lowballed by $155,000 in a home appraisal because of their race
Braunz Courtney and his longtime friend and business partner Jamar Mears, a licensed real estate agent, told ABC7 they were shocked when the East Oakland home was valued at $575,000 in December. A separate appraisal conducted just one month later placed the value of the Northern California home at $730,000.
“Something’s not adding up here,” Courtney said.
Home appraisers are required by the Fair Housing Act of 1968 not to discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, or gender.
Fair housing advocates say bias complaints are underreported and that homeowners often don’t know they are facing discrimination.