ORLANDO, Fla. – For most families, “The American Dream” can be best defined by one’s ability to own a home.

However, as history and present times show, it is a dream that remains out of reach for many.

“During the 20th century, federal, state, and local governments systematically implemented racially discriminatory housing policies that contributed to segregated neighborhoods, and inhibited equal opportunity and the chance to build wealth for Black, Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and Native American families, and other underserved community,” the White House wrote in a January 2021 presidential memorandum.

Within weeks of taking office, President Joe Biden ordered the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to conduct a top to bottom review of the agency’s policies, and to develop a means to close discrimination gaps.

“Ongoing legacies of residential segregation and discrimination remains ever-present in our society,” the presidential memo read.

The memo listed the following issues:

• A racial gap in homeownership
• A persistent undervaluation of properties owned by families of color
• A disproportionate burden of pollution and exposure to the impacts of climate change in communities of color
• Systemic barriers to safe, accessible, and affordable housing for people of color, immigrants, individuals with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender non-conforming, and queer individuals

Central Florida is not immune to the disparities of government policies of the past and present.

“There’s immediate need and support for those who have been underserved systematically over time, but also a need for white people to recognize they have been at an advantage, and the fact a community of color is not doing well impacts them in ways they may not even be aware of,” said Hank Van Putten with Valencia College’s Peace and Justice Institute.

President Lydon B. Johnson signed the Fair Housing Act into law in 1968, with the intention of leveling the market to allow people of all races equal opportunity to housing.

The most prolific policy impacting an imbalance of equal homeowner was "redlining".

A “New Deal” era policy, mortgage lenders color-coded communities green, blue, yellow, or red.

Neighborhoods inside red lines were often given the fewest opportunities for growth and home ownership. The majority of communities within red lines were also Black neighborhoods.

“With redlining, there were issues getting loans, not only for housing, but we have to look at how redlining affects insurance, education in our community,” said Rich Black, publisher of ONYX Magazine.

Black, whose parents immigrated from Nassau, Bahamas and owned one of the first Black-owned restaurants in Orlando, says disparities based on zip codes still exist.

“I think anytime you take away obstacles from dreams, the American Dream, I think that makes it right,” Black said. “If they could balance scales, economic scales, educational scales, that makes it right for all of the people.”

For its part, the city of Orlando and Orange County have collectively invested millions of dollars in recent years in building affordable housing projects and other programs to close the housing gaps.

“Many of my friends stayed in multifamily housing there, but when (State Road) 408 came through, it displaced almost 16,000 residents and they were homeowners,” said Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill.

Hill’s family moved to Parramore in 1976 when she was 9 years old.

She saw first hand the impact of rapid development of interstate and highways systems, displacing many Black neighborhoods.

“We’re coming back and making sure we revitalize this community, responsibly, and bring back some of the rich history that was lost here in Parramore and bring people back, along with economic development,” Commissioner Hill said.

One of the city’s most recent projects include “Parramore Oaks”, an apartment complex where rent is tailored to a family’s income. The city is also expanding with construction of a project that will ultimately include 52 homes to help locals begin the process of obtaining home ownership.

Hank Van Putten with Valencia College’s Peace and Justice Institute says expanding access to home ownership will close the wealth gap.

“Wealth passed on from the next generation and if you don’t have anything to pass on because all you’ve been doing is renting, and renting doesn’t accrue any kind of equity, there’s the wealth gap,” Van Putten said. “Equity to me means everyone gets what they need to be successful versus equality which is everybody gets the same thing.”

President Biden’s ordered review is meant to provide both: equity and equality.

The measure includes housing protections for the LGBTQ communities.

Orange County has had a housing protection, based on sexual orientation, since 1986. The City of Orlando enacted a similar protection in 2002.