ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the role of race in zoning, focusing on a case study of Durham, North Carolina. It shows that prior to the 1980s, zoning decisions restraining industrial and residential development were characteristic of areas that were whiter than average than areas where decisions encouraging these development types happened. Disparities in homeownership and income were not as apparent prior to the 1980s, suggesting that historically, race offers the more compelling explanation for the geography of these zoning decisions. The racial disparity in Durham’s zoning practices disappeared from the 1980s onward as African Americans gained greater representation on the city council.
