In the early 20th century, Chicago realtors claimed that Black residents devalued white neighborhoods, leading to violence and intimidation against Black families who moved in. When force failed, realtors pushed restrictive covenants to legally block sales to Black buyers. These practices reduced overt violence and spread to other cities. During the Great Depression, with many mortgages at risk, the federal government relied on these same realtors to shape housing policy. Their input guided the FHA and HOLC, embedding redlining into national policy and denying Black communities access to loans and investment, reinforcing housing segregation for generations.