The Divided American Dream: San Francisco's long shadow

A nation of unequal housing fortunes   Two regions had a bubble. Only one is still suffering from the bust. The overall U.S. housing market has recovered from the crisis that plunged the country into recession. But a new analysis by The Washington Post shows that the recovery has been deeply uneven, creating winners and losers along lines of race, income and geography. The Post analysis shows how the nation's housing recovery has exacerbated inequality, leaving behind many Americans of moderate means. It also helps explain why the economic recovery feels incomplete, especially in neighborhoods where the value of housing — often the biggest family asset — have recovered little, if at all. In California, the biggest victors and victims of the national housing market are separated by a low, inland mountain range, with Bay Area cities such as San Francisco on one side, and struggling Central Valley communities like Stockton on the other. Middle- and working-class families priced out of the Bay Area have increasingly moved east, over the Altamont Pass, in search of cheaper housing. During the boom years, they helped bring a bubble with them. Read more »         Share The Divided American Dream:       Twitter      Facebook Trouble reading? Click here to view in your browser. You received this email because you are registered on washingtonpost.com. For additional free newsletters or to manage your newsletters, click here. We respect your privacy. If you believe that this email has been sent to you in error or you no longer wish to receive email from The Washington Post, click here. Contact us for help. ©2016 The Washington Post, 1301 K St NW, Washington DC 20071