There are also a lot of banks out there eager to help out with this. “For a lot of local community banks in the Southeast, their whole purpose is to remove this shadow world. They will allow the Latino immigrant—documented or undocumented—to open an account there.”
These programs, together with apartment owners, can drastically impact the lives of Hispanic renters, especially those unfamiliar with American culture. “Landlords can go a long way in helping people feel welcome here,” Bowdler says.
BY THE NUMBERS For apartment owners and managers, the Hispanic immigrant population is a demographic group with the power to shape and influence their future operations. Here’s a statistical snapshot of this community.
U.S. Hispanic Population: 41 million
SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
U.S. Hispanic Population by 2050: 29%
SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU; PEW HISPANIC CENTER
U.S. Renter Households Headed by an Immigrant: 6.1 million
SOURCE: HARVARD UNIVERSITY’S JOINT CENTER FOR HOUSING STUDIES
Hispanic-Occupied Housing Units With Physical Problems: 1.1 million
SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
Hispanics Without Bank Accounts: 8 million
SOURCE: PEW HISPANIC CENTER
Hispanic Consumer Spending Power by 2010: $1 trillion
SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA’S SELIG CENTER FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA.
Hispanic Immigrants Who Send Money Home: 73%
SOURCE: INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK’S MULTILATERAL INVESTMENT FUND
