Racial segregation in housing is still readily apparent in the United States. This racial divide not only affects the individual households that are segregated but contributes to segregated schools, limited access to suburban job opportunities, concentrations of wealth and poverty, and other troublesome aspects of American life. Against this backdrop, this book has traced the rise and demise of the promise of the Fair Housing Act between the late 1960s and 2000, as suburbs in the United States continued their remarkable expansion.

The principal focus has been on the presidency and suburban housing opportunities for African Americans. The central argument is that the nation's suburbs are racially segregated not only because of discriminatory housing practices. They are also segregated because of problems rooted in American politics, policy, and law. This book therefore goes beyond the explanation provided by sociologists by showing how presidents, the bureaucracy, Congress, and the courts have responded to the issue of suburban integration. This closing chapter reflects on the study of presidential influence, on Richard Nixon's fair housing legacy and its implications, and on the future of suburban housing integration in the United States.

THE STUDY OF PRESIDENTIAL INFLUENCE

The American system of separation of powers places distinct limits on presidential power. Stationed at the apex of the political system, presidents possess broad authority in foreign and military affairs but more limited power in domestic policy.