California: Number of Latino Homeowners Increases

Latinos accounted for 31 percent of Southern California households in 2003, according to research by the Richard S. Ziman Center for Real Estate at the University of California at Los Angeles. They also made up one-quarter of the region's homeowners.

Additionally, 50 percent of Latino homeowners bought their residences during the past five years. The survey reveals that first-time Latino buyers selected neighborhoods that had the most affordable dwellings, while repeat buyers chose better neighborhoods with larger homes.

More than 60 percent of Latino renters voiced their support for mixed-use housing within a two-block radius of their current residences, compared to only 47 percent of Latino homeowners. Nearby retail centers, meanwhile, are favored by 80 percent of renters but fewer than 40 percent of homeowners.