This growing gap is not surprising in an age when homeownership is so difficult. For many, the only path to home ownership is inheritance of a house or down payment. Greater need to rely on inheritance to achieve homeownership means that the inequalities of the past are amplified rather than mitigated. White people can inherit from multiple generations (parents, grandparents, great grandparents) while black people have fewer parents, grandparents, etc. who were homeowners (the main source of intergenerational wealth) and get less inheritance.

When homeownership is based on individual achievement, then the gap can close over time as the achievement gap closes (which it has vs. boomers, greatest, etc.).