Vice President Kamala Harris has purchased a 4,000-square-foot mansion in the exclusive seaside community of Point Dume, California, for $8.15 million. The property is situated in Census tract 8004.08, which, according to 2019 estimates from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, is approximately 0.2% Black and 94% White.
This move to a neighborhood with minimal racial diversity may appear at odds with Harris's career-long advocacy for addressing racial disparities in housing and her past statements emphasizing the importance of living within diverse communities. In 2019, she reflected on her experience attending Howard University, a historically Black college, stating, "it just becomes about you understanding that there is a whole world of people who are like you." She also noted growing up in a community with "many representations of diversity."
Despite her background and stated views, the Point Dume community has faced accusations of limiting access for minority groups. A review of the neighborhood by a group of non-White surfers described barriers to access that keep most BIPOC people away, despite its "laid back community of surfers who are one with nature" veneer.
Harris's professional record includes significant efforts to combat racial bias in housing. As California's attorney general in 2012, she supported a Supreme Court brief arguing for the enforcement of the Fair Housing Act based on policies with a "disparate impact" on racial groups, even if facially neutral. During her 2020 presidential campaign, she proposed $100 billion in aid for families in historically redlined communities. As vice president, she has promoted the Biden administration's initiatives aimed at rectifying racial bias in home appraisals.
This real estate decision comes amid renewed speculation about a potential third presidential run by Harris in 2028. During her previous campaigns, Harris's identity and background were scrutinized. Her upbringing in primarily White areas and her heritage led to questions about her connection to the African American community, with some critics, including Donald Trump in 2024, alleging she used her Black identity for political purposes. She also faced discussion during the 2024 campaign regarding her identification with Oakland, California, despite spending much of her childhood in the less diverse Berkeley and later moving to predominantly White Montreal.
Harris's husband, Doug Emhoff, is White.