The "Model Minority," Too, Struggles With Housing

Luca’s class project on homelessness among the Latinx community demonstrated the specificity of the challenges faced by different racial and ethnic groups, inspiring me to dig deeper into the unique issues that affect my own demographic group.

I’ve long heard Asian Americans referred to as the “model minority,” a term that reflects the on-average higher incomes and education levels among the population. The key part, though, is the phrase “on average.” On average, Asian-American household incomes are 12k higher than the national mean, but Burmese American households earn 20k less, with Asian Americans demonstrating the largest wealth gap of any racial group. On average, Asian Americans hold 21% more bachelor’s degrees than the U.S. average, yet Bhutanese Americans hold 18% less. On average, Asian Americans are 3% less likely to live in poverty, but that number is still a whopping 10%.

Income and education level vary drastically among Asian American subgroups.

From NPR's 6 Charts That Dismantle The Trope Of Asian Americans As A Model Minority.

This aggregated, lumped data disguises the struggles of certain Asian American subpopulations behind the success of others, covering up the needs of more vulnerable groups. Because Asian-Americans as a whole are not perceived to need assistance, the many that do have a harder time obtaining it. Individuals may be less likely to seek help due to the model minority stereotype and even feel unjustified to voice their concerns. This perception also leads to less targeted programs, funding, outreach, and research. Studies on housing inequality often erase Asian Americans while including other POCs, as if saying Asian Americans are not people of color, or at least not ones to be concerned about. All of this means that Asian Americans are often out of the conversation on critical issues such as poverty and housing.

However, Asian Americans do face issues regarding housing. They were hard hit by the post-recession housing crisis; the tendency of Asian Americans to live in states or areas with higher housing costs meant they were especially affected, losing 70,000 (44%) of net worth. Today, 26% of Asian American renters are cost-burdened by rent. And that’s just the aggregate data—Bangladeshi, Vietnamese, and Pakistani renters experience cost burden at the even higher rates of 41%, 34%, and 34%, respectively. 

Lisa Hasegawa discusses the housing crisis and aggregated data. From the Aspen Institute's Housing and the "Model Minority" Myth for Asian Americans.

Additionally, Asian American households have a much lower home ownership rate than White ones with similar income and education, facing discrimination that prevents the build of generational wealth. Despite high average incomes, Asian American families have low levels of wealth, with their median net worth being half that of white families.

Asian Americans face unique issues when it comes to accessing housing. 54% of severely cost-burdened households have limited English proficiency, making it difficult to access support services. Asian American households are also discriminated against in their housing search, being shown fewer available properties than comparable white families. This is made even more problematic as overcrowding is also a much greater issue among Asian Americans, with four times more households being multigenerational.

So what is the answer to Asian American housing inequality? Disaggregated data that reveals the specificities among subgroups can open doors to targeted initiatives, making it a great place to start. By differentiating between subpopulations, this data would combat the model minority myth by illuminating the diversity hidden in the Asian American catch-all. 

Sources and further reading:

• 6 Charts That Dismantle The Trope Of Asian Americans As A Model Minority | NPR
• “Model minority” myth hides the economic realities of many Asian Americans | Urban Institute
• Shelter Poverty: Housing Affordability Among Asian Americans | ScholarWorks
• Key facts about Asian Americans, a diverse and growing population | Pew Research Center
• Housing and the "Model Minority" Myth for Asian Americans | Aspen Institute
• More Asian Americans Are Becoming Homeowners, but They Still Face Barriers in the Housing Market | Urban Institute
• New Research Highlights Housing Experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders | National Low Income Housing Coalition
• WHAT THE HOMELESSNESS CRISIS IN ASIAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES REVEALS ABOUT OURSELVES | Sojourners