Descendants of former slaves would be eligible for housing payouts from the state under a pair of bills approved by California lawmakers last week. The state Assembly overwhelmingly voted in favor of Assembly Bill 57 and Assembly Bill 62, which are being described as a step toward reparations for Black Californians. But it’s worth asking how much difference they will really make.

For generations, Black families have been locked out of homeownership and stripped of property by government policy and private discrimination. The new bills are supposed to help fix that. The reality, however, is more complicated, and the solutions being offered are far from the kind of direct, transformative action that would really close the wealth gap.

First, let’s look at what the bills do. AB 57 would requ

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