The practice of encouraging prospective tenants to avoid certain areas because of racial or religious composition is known as what?

The practice of encouraging prospective tenants to avoid certain areas based on the racial or religious composition of those areas is specifically termed "steering." This unethical practice is often used by real estate professionals to direct individuals toward or away from particular neighborhoods, perpetuating segregation and discrimination within housing markets. Steering reflects a violation of fair housing laws, as it reinforces biases and limits the housing choices available to individuals, particularly those from minority groups.

In contrast, the other terms refer to different concepts in real estate and urban development. For instance, redlining describes a discriminatory practice where banks and insurers refuse to offer services to residents in certain neighborhoods based on racial or ethnic composition, leading to systemic disinvestment. Displacement typically refers to the forced removal of residents from their homes, often due to rising rent or redevelopment. Gentrification involves the transformation of urban neighborhoods resulting from an influx of higher-income residents, often leading to changes in the original community composition. Each of these terms highlights various aspects of housing inequality and urban policy, but steering specifically addresses the manipulation of housing choices based on personal bias.