In most major metropolitan areas, the number of hate crimes per capita is significantly lower in neighborhoods in which the population is racially mixed, that is, no more than one third of the area’s inhabitants belong to the same ethnic group; it is theorized that a person is less likely to commit a hate crime against someone who he regards as a neighbor.

A. that is, no more than one third of the area’s inhabitants belong to the same ethnic group; it is theorized that a person is less likely to commit a hate crime against someone who he regards as a neighbor

B. that is, no more than one third of the area’s inhabitants belong to the same ethnic group; it is theorized that a person is less likely to commit a hate crime against someone whom he regards as a neighbor

C. that is, no more than one third of the area’s inhabitants belongs to the same ethnic group; it is theorized that a person is less likely to commit a hate crime against someone whom he regards as a neighbor

D. that is, no more than one third of the area’s inhabitants belongs to the same ethnic group; it is theorized that a person is less likely to commit a hate crime against someone who he regards as a neighbor

E. that is, no more than one third of the area’s inhabitants belongs to the same ethnic group; it is theorized that a person is less likely to commit a hate crime against someone whom he regards to be a neighbor
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against someone who he regards is wrong. It should be Whom. Eliminate A & E.

no more than one third of the area’s inhabitants belong to is wrong(SV Agreement). belong should be singular belongs. Eliminate B.

In E, whom he regards to be a neighbor is unidiomatic. regards as is more appropriate. Eliminate E.

Only left C. C is the correct answer.
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I think it should be plural. One third of the area’s inhabitants belong sounds way better than one third of the area’s inhabitants belongs.
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I've seen others also mention it, but that "concept" is probably just an oversimplification. For example, in two of the five medals, it is not correct to say that medals will decide the verb just because it is the object of the preposition. Consider one of the five medals. Clearly we can't say one of the five medals are.
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Apart from the issue of S/V agreement (which I assume should be plural and not singular, based on the explanation provided by sayantanc2k, is the usage of 'whom' correct here? When do you use who and when do you use whom? Can anyone explain this?

One of the recent OG questions I’ve just taken states “one third of mothers WERE..” and the explanation stated that plural verb is needed. Really confused with this question(

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ankaua This is why it's better to learn from official questions than from third-party material. "One third of mothers were" makes much more sense than "was," since we would certainly go on to say something about the women as individuals rather than as a group. Imagine if I said "One third of mothers was living in a one-bedroom apartment." It would sound like a large group of women were all living together in a small space!
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Maybe it'd be better to remove this question, or at least put it under "Debatable OA", although I really don't think that this is "debatable". The position the OE takes on belong/belongs is just wrong.

sudarshan22, aragonn, hazelnut, generis
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