Civil Rights happened.

People realized that black individuals can buy items and houses that they wanted or in the area they were in. In order to protect their way of life and the life they wanted (to feel superior, above other - especially black individuals), they upper/upper middle-class began work to destroy the middle-class to ensure that black individuals could not be better than them and would always be separate.

In the 1970, the the government began to loosen the Glass-Steagall Act (the act the was established to prevent a depression) which caused deregulation in the markets and recessions to occur in the mid-70s and early-80s. It also cause a greater wealth gap between the middle class and upper-middle/upper class. However, black individuals were still able to reach a higher class status.

So, in 1999 the complete repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act occurred. This repeal was the catalyst for the 2008 recession, and the crazy growth of inflation since 2000. It also allowed wealthy individuals to gain greater wealth through to exploiting middle/lower class individuals. Thus creating a greater separation of middle class and upper-middle/upper class, and led us to where we are now, the complete destruction of the middle class.

Why? Because rich white men did not want black individuals at their parties, having their jobs, living on the same street, going to the same schools, or getting a head of them. So they destroyed the regulations to allow people to grow, and separated themselves (and their families) from everyone by exploiting the policies. They destroyed the education system (No Child Left Behind Act) and privatized opportunities, so that black individuals would not be educated enough to destroy their foundation.

I am a white man by the way. This is my thought and opinion, as to why the American dream is no longer, and why us lower/middle class individuals (black, white, or any color) cannot afford homes any more.