Texas REALTORS® partnered with the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) to host a discussion about Asian American homeownership in Texas. The event featured perspectives from 2020 AREAA President James Huang; Texas Rep. Gene Wu, who represents House District 137 in the Houston area; and April Gavin, senior political representative for the National Association of REALTORS®. Watch the recording here. 

Huang shared highlights from the 2020 State of Asia America Report regarding homeownership within the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, noting that 66.3% of AAPIs in Texas are homeowners. However, Huang emphasized the importance of disaggregating AAPI demographics when discussing topics such as homeownership rates. “When you break it up in to the 26 different countries, you’re going to see as high as 69% all the way down to 25%,” Huang said.

He also discussed AREAA’s three-point policy plan to overcome homeownership challenges and public policies that seek to increase homeownership. Wu also stressed the importance of helping more people become homeowners, especially those in the middle class. “If you don’t have a robust middle class, you don’t have a robust economy. And if you don’t have a robust economy, where are we as a country?” he said.

At the federal level, Gavin shared updates on what Congress is doing at the federal level for pandemic response and to address homeownership. She urged REALTORS® to visit nar.realtor/coronavirus for the latest on federal REALTOR® advocacy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Texas REALTORS® can visit ebasd.com/coronavirus for updates from the state association.

Wu commended Texas REALTORS® for working to achieve public policy goals that benefit all Texas homeowners. “REALTOR® policy issues are well thought-out and are clearly designed to help Texans,” he said.