The U.S. homeownership fell 0.7 of a percentage point year over year in the third quarter, to 66.9%, the lowest level since 1999, but government figures released Tuesday morning show the foreclosure crisis is hitting minorities harder than whites.
The Census Bureau reported that the homeownership rate for blacks was 45% in the quarter, down from 46.4% a year earlier.
The homeownership rate for Hispanics was 47% on Sept. 30, down from 48.7% a year earlier.
The rate for whites, meanwhile, was 74.7%, down 0.3 of a percentage point.
The 66.9% overall rate was unchanged compared with the second quarter.
