During the post-World War II era, America's suburban developments symbolized opportunity and exclusion. These developments became symbols of the postwar American dream, where homeownership and suburban living were within reach for millions of Americans—though not for everyone. These segregation policies were enforced not through written covenants but by the developer’s explicit refusal to sell homes to African Americans. This practice was emblematic of the larger issue of housing discrimination that permeated American society during this period.