Final answer:
The federal government contributed to housing disparities between blacks and whites through policies such as redlining and the specific construction of public housing that led to segregated neighborhoods, while efforts like the Fair Housing Act have attempted to address these injustices.
Step-by-step explanation:
The federal government has played a role in creating disparities between blacks and whites in housing and neighborhoods in several ways. Options C and D in the question reference the realities of history, with Option C being the more accurate portrayal. Established policies such as redlining, along with the construction of public housing that often segmented minorities into certain areas, contributed to long-term housing segregation. Specifically, actions by national and local governments have contributed to the ghettoization of minority groups. For example, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) played a role in encouraging discriminatory practices, such as redlining, which led to residential segregation by encouraging 'white flight' from urban areas, while minorities were frequently restricted to inner cities where federal mortgage assistance was less effective.
Moreover, the construction of public housing was also aimed exclusively at the lowest-income families, further concentrating poverty in certain neighborhoods. Conversely, the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and subsequent laws were meant, at least legally, to combat such discrimination, but the unequal consequences of prior actions remain evident in many inner-city neighborhoods.