ABSTRACT
This chapter describes two sources of information to examine the mortgage situation in Indian country: the 2000 decennial census and data for 1993 through 1999 compiled under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA). It provides context for the tribal area analysis and to address a gap in the research to date. The chapter explains census- and HMDA-derived credit information for the Native American population nationwide. To set the context of analyzing the mortgage profiles in Indian country from HMDA data. The HMDA database has been tapped by many researchers interested in mortgage access issues. Data on borrower race are missing for a significant portion of the records in the HMDA database—particularly for records related to refinance loans. Lingering HMDA exclusions allow some mortgage lenders to avoid any reporting requirements. HMDA coverage of lending in Indian country is also complicated by the existence of lender types unlikely to be active in other areas.
