SACRAMENTO—The California State Assembly has approved two bills aimed at addressing historic housing and property disparities experienced by descendants of enslaved people, moving the state closer to enacting some of the nation’s most direct reparations measures.

The first measure, AB 57, would reserve a portion of funds from California’s Home Purchase Assistance Program specifically for descendants of formerly enslaved people. Supporters say the bill targets longstanding gaps in homeownership rates and generational wealth, which have persisted due to discriminatory policies such as redlining and racial covenants. According to state data, homeownership rates for Black households in California lag behind those of White households by roughly 30 percentage points.

The second bill, AB 62, wo

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