Who knows how they calculate all these things, but one key factor might be Livermore's focused effort to contain urban sprawl (see http://www.trivalleyconservancy.org/). It's pretty neat what they've done to preserve their agricultural systems and parkland.

Huh. This is what I think of when I think of Livermore:

looksmart

FindArticles > Oakland Tribune > Jan 8, 2006 > Article > Print friendly

Subtle discrimination still in housing and insurance

SOMETIMES I have the feeling that when continued racial disparities are pointed out, some people think African Americans want to hang on to the days of racial discrimination. They think we don't want to accept the progress that's been made.

It's the 21st century, after all, 2006. Why hold on to the slights of the past?

While some African Americans may be invested in the idea they will never be treated fairly, I doubt most embrace that thought. It may be a familiar mindset to those of us over a certain age, it's never been a comfortable one. You don't feel vindicated when you believe you've been slighted because you are black; you feel angry, sickened and sad.

These days the insult doesn't often come in the form of a white person using the n-word or refusing to serve a black person. These days it takes a more subtle, institutional form.

Last year ended with news of continued racial discrimination in housing and insurance, two basic areas that have long been plagued by racial inequity.

Looking at the most blatant first, an audit conducted by a fair housing advocacy group found that African-American men faced significant discrimination in Alameda County. Housing discrimination is against the law.

The group sent four men -- two white, two African-American -- to 53 apartments in Hayward, Livermore, Pleasanton and Union City. The African Americans' profiles were identical with those of the whites. Their appointments to see the apartments were scheduled for similar times. Yet in 26 percent of the tests, the African Americans were treated more unfavorably than their white counterparts.

In one case, the white tester was offered $200 off the first month's rent; the black tester wasn't offered the discount. In other cases, the African-American men were less likely to receive follow- up calls and more likely to be given discouraging information about the terms of the rent.

Hayward fared the best; testers went to 20 apartments and received different treatment at only one. In Pleasanton, the black testers were treated unfavorably at three of 10 apartments. In Livermore they got different treatment at five of 13 apartments. Union City had the worst record -- black testers were treated unfavorably at five of the 10 apartments.

In a fairly unusual twist, the head of the organization representing landlords didn't dispute the findings, but said they were helpful. He said fair housing is an ongoing battle requiring ongoing education and refreshers.

An ongoing battle, indeed. The fight for fair housing was led by state Assemblyman William Byron Rumford, who introduced the Runford Fair Housing Act, passed in 1963.

The advocacy group will invite landlords who failed the test to undergo anti-discrimination training. If they decline, they could face legal action.

Most people understand housing discrimination is illegal, but the basis for insurance premiums is a little cloudier. Consumers often accept the rationale of insurance companies that drivers in urban areas should pay higher premiums than those in suburban and rural areas because of a higher incidence of theft.

A study by Consumers Union found that because of the differentiation, car insurance in African-American neighborhoods costs 37.5 percent to 83.5 percent more than in neighborhoods that are mostly white. Drivers in predominately Latino neighborhoods pay 7.9 to 18.4 percent more than those in white areas.

A 1988 law attempted to equalize the geographic difference, but it has been thwarted by the auto insurance industry. Consumer advocates point out the higher rates hurt poorer people and lead to more people driving illegally without insurance, driving up rates for everyone.

The geographic differential is based on a generalization. While I live in an area with a ZIP code that has a lot of car thefts, that doesn't mean my street has a lot of thefts.

State Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi said he will propose rules that would force auto insurers to base premiums more on driving records and miles driven and less on ZIP codes. Auto insurers could factor in actual thefts experienced by a driver, much as they do the actual driving record.

Redlining in insurance, just as in banking, results in substandard and costlier services that hinder communities. The companies may not be setting out to discriminate against African Americans or Latinos, but the policies have that effect. Intentional or not, discrimination is discrimination.

It's true it's 2006, the 21st century, but unfortunately continued racial disparity, in the fundamental areas of housing and insurance, is not simply an obsession of some African Americans. I wish it were.

Brenda Payton writes for ANG Newspapers.

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