How Supplemental Security Income (SSI) asset caps impact access to homeownership across racial groups

People with disabilities, low-income households, and Black families all experience a substantially lower rate of homeownership in the United States (U.S.) compared to others. A large body of literature examines the historical and policy context for these outcomes for each of these populations. Of note, each of these groups is substantially overrepresented among those receiving Supplemental Security Income, or SSI. SSI is a means-tested federal program in the U.S. that provides monthly income to those who are blind or disabled. Recipients may not own assets totaling more than $2,000 (or $3,000 per married couple), excluding the value of a primary residence. For SSI recipients who do not already own a home when they begin to receive benefits, it may be a challenge to qualify for a mortgage. Using data from the 2019 American Community Survey, this analysis explores the relative importance of SSI receipt in influencing homeownership by using marginal effects to identify the average predicted probabilities of homeownership for SSI recipients with a disability, who are low-income, and Black. This demonstrates the extent to which SSI asset limits impact each of these groups differently, indicating how this policy may be a contributing factor to the racial wealth gap.