Plundered: How Racist Policies Undermine Black Homeownership in America by Bernadette Atuahene

Plundered: How Racist Policies Undermine Black Homeownership in America by Bernadette Atuahene (2025) is a comprehensive look at how local municipalities have used their lawful power to remove Black homeowners through unconstitutional property tax assessments and mass foreclosures. Atuahene documents how the City of Detroit has consistently illegally assessed residential properties (in violation of the Michigan Constitution) and thereby caused over one-third of all homes to be foreclosed upon between 2009-2015. It is these discriminatory policies impacting predominantly Black communities that create the core of her “predatory governance” model – the extraction of wealth from disadvantaged communities through the use of state authority in unjust ways. Atuahene places Detroit’s situation within a larger national scope of racialized displacement and homelessness and states that true justice will require redress and not simply reform. Atuahene calls for remedial action, including equitable assessments, accountability measures, and reparative housing action, making Plundered a required read for scholars, policy makers, and practitioners who are committed to housing justice and racial equity. This review outlines the book’s clarity, rigor, and lasting impact.