A study from The University of New Mexico released on Apr. 1 uses more than a decade of social media data to examine how Americans discuss redlining, a historic form of housing discrimination, across the country.
The research is significant because it provides insight into how public perceptions of redlining are shaped by local demographic and housing conditions, which can influence current discussions about housing equity and policy. Yujian Lu, a Ph.D. candidate in geography at UNM, led the study under the guidance of his advisor Xi Gong. Lu said, “I wanted to examine spatial variation in how redlining practices are discussed across the United States and explore how these patterns are associated with different socioeconomic and demographic factors.”
Redlining began in the 1930s as a discriminatory practice labeling certain neighborhoods—often communities of color—as high-risk for mortgage lending. Although this policy was abolished in 1968, its effects have continued for decades. “This policy was abolished in 1968, however, those designations influenced private lending practices for decades,” Lu said.
Lu analyzed nearly 19,000 geotagged tweets posted between 2011 and 2023 to understand current perceptions about redlining. He explained that using geotagged tweets allowed examination over a larger area and longer period than traditional methods: “We used geotagged tweets because they allow us to examine public perceptions across a much larger geographic area and over a longer time period than traditional data collection methods.” The research used sentiment analysis combined with Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR) to reveal that areas with lower homeownership rates or larger households were more likely to express negative sentiment about redlining online.
Lu noted generational differences as well: “Older residents may have more direct or indirect experiences with discriminatory housing practices, while younger residents may engage with the topic through contemporary discussions about housing inequity and affordability.” He clarified that negative sentiment refers not necessarily to anger but rather the tone used when discussing redlining: “In simple terms, instead of assuming that the same relationship exists everywhere, MGWR allows us to see how those relationships vary from one location to another.”
The study also highlighted limitations such as only about two percent of tweets containing geographic information. Despite this challenge—”One of the main challenges was the limited number of geotagged tweets,” Lu said—the findings provide new understanding connecting historical discrimination with present-day conditions.
“Understanding public perceptions of historical redlining practices is important because these perceptions influence how people understand and interpret historical reasons for current housing inequity and urban development policies,” Lu said. While New Mexico did not have official federal maps documenting redlined areas, similar discriminatory practices occurred locally: “New Mexico did not have official HOLC redlining maps, but housing discrimination and segregation practices similar to redlining still occurred,” he explained.
Lu believes this work can inform community engagement around planning decisions: “It can encourage New Mexico residents to participate more actively in local planning discussions, community meetings, and housing policy debates.” Looking ahead he hopes future research will further explore long-term impacts from various housing policies: “Exploring these policies could help us better understand how different housing and lending practices have shaped urban development and neighborhood inequity over time,” he concluded.
The University of New Mexico enrolled more than 24,000 students across its main and branch campuses in spring 2023 according to the official website. The university boasts more than 200,000 alumni worldwide including fellows of national academies as per its official website. It serves as a cultural resource through libraries museums galleries performance spaces while promoting diversity according to its official website. Its athletics program known as Lobos competes in Mountain West Conference; University Arena is ranked among top college basketball venues according to its official site. UNM’s campus features Pueblo Revival architecture an arboretum popular spots like duck pond situated within metropolitan area as stated on its website. The university has been ranked among top public schools nationally earning recognition from U.S News & World Report including primary care medical schools diversity rankings according to UNM’s website.
