Race Seems to Still be a Factor

Unfortunately it is undeniable.  A recent Federal Reserve report on home mortgage data showed that blacks and Hispanic whites are increasingly more likely than non-Hispanic whites to be denied when applying to refinance.  In fact, one in three borrowers who applied for a mortgage last year were denied.  Lenders are keeping their standards incredibly tight because of the accelerating mortgage crisis.  The denial rate for overall home loans was around 30% last year, which is a rise from previous years.  But what does this rise actually mean for Black and Hispanic citizens?  The rate is now twice as high as the rate for white borrowers.  The report is a collection of more than 8,000 mortgage lenders around the nation under the HMDA.  Most people have their opinions for why this happens the way it does.  Of course the officials in the mortgage industry are saying that lenders are not discriminated by race but by the individuals track record.  This may or may not be true, but this study would definitely challenge the statement.  What do you think?