What is the term for the practice where a salesperson directs clients to specific neighborhoods based on their minority status?

The practice of directing clients to specific neighborhoods based on their minority status is known as steering. This term refers to the illegal and unethical practice where real estate agents guide prospective buyers or renters toward or away from certain neighborhoods to maintain the racial or ethnic composition of a community. Steering is discriminatory and violates the Fair Housing Act, which aims to eliminate housing discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability.

In contrast, redlining refers to the practice of denying services, typically financial, to residents of certain areas based on racial or ethnic composition. Blockbusting involves inducing homeowners to sell their properties at lower prices by instigating fear of incoming minorities, leading to neighborhood turnover. Predatory lending relates to unfair lending practices that significantly disadvantage borrowers, often targeting vulnerable populations, but does not specifically involve steering individuals toward particular neighborhoods. Thus, steering is the term that accurately describes the described practice in the question.