With the growth of institutional mega-landlords in Memphis, many have worried about how they would treat their tenants and their properties.

But these concerns may have missed the main point, according to new research from Austin Harrison, assistant professor at Rhodes College, and researchers at Georgia State University.

The bigger issue, Harrison told MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, is the sheer number of homes companies are purchasing and the fact that these homes seem quite unlikely to return to owner occupants anytime soon. Absent government action, this trend will make it extremely difficult for the city to grow its homeownership rate or even maintain its current one.

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