Register for NCRC's 2024 Just Economy Conference

 

Are you passionate about building a more just and equitable future? If so, would you be interested in becoming an NCRC member and enjoying discounted tickets for the 2024 Just Economy Conference?    The 2024 Just Economy Conference is the leading national conference for economic and social justice. Don’t miss your chance to join activists, elected officials, policymakers, community leaders, civil rights groups, faith-based organizations and economic and social justice advocates from across the nation. This is your chance to connect with a vibrant community of individuals dedicated to making a difference.   Join NCRC today and gain access to exclusive member benefits, including discounted tickets for the conference. NCRC members will also have the opportunity to participate in our Hill Day on April 2.    Treat yourself to a holiday gift of a Just Economy Conference ticket today!    We can’t wait to see you there, Team NCRC P.S. If your organization doesn’t qualify for NCRC membership, you can join our Just Economy Club, and still enjoy some of the perks of membership, like discounted tickets to the Just Economy Conference!

***** Source: National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) email, December 14, 2023.

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  HUD Settlement Agreement Requires Oklahoma Housing Provider Pay $300,000 to Victims of Housing Discrimination

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has entered into a Voluntary Compliance Agreement-Conciliation Agreement (VCA-CA) with Cushing Housing Inc. requiring respondents to pay $300,000 to individuals, including former tenants, that were subjected to housing discrimination at Cushing’s property. Read the agreement.

“Under the Biden-Harris Administration, we are taking on housing discrimination like never before,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “HUD is holding people accountable, and ensuring those who face discrimination have a voice to build a fairer nation for all.”

The agreement stems from a complaint filed by tenants alleging Cushing Housing violated civil rights laws when it failed to address serious, racially motivated harassment that denied them the ability to peacefully enjoy their housing. The harassment was so severe that it left them fearful of leaving their apartment and took a substantial toll on their mental health. The VCA-CA resolves HUD’s October 26, 2022 Letter of Findings which found respondents discriminated against the tenants in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Title VI prohibits discrimination based on race by recipients of federal financial assistance, including where a recipient fails to adequately respond to known racial harassment against a beneficiary of its program. Title VI also prohibits retaliating against a person engaged in a protected activity, such as where they seek to have the housing provider address such racial harassment. Cushing Housing is required to comply with Title VI because they are a recipient of Federal financial assistance from HUD.

“No tenant should be subjected to harassment and subsequent retaliation by a HUD funded housing provider” said Demetria L. McCain, HUD’s Principal Deputy Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “This agreement and the previously issued Letter of Findings demonstrates HUD’s commitment to upholding our Nation’s civil rights laws.”

HUD’s investigation found that residents began harassing the complainants, a White mother and daughter, when the daughter began dating a Black man and was seen with this man at the property. HUD’s investigation found that complainants repeatedly notified Cushing Housing of this harassment, but that Cushing Housing failed to take any steps to address it. The pervasive harassment included calling the complainants racial slurs and threatening racially motivated violence. Despite being on notice of this harassment, Cushing failed to take prompt and effect steps reasonably calculated to end it, instead ultimately issuing a notice to vacate to both the complainant mother as well as the harassers, which HUD found to be unlawful retaliation against the mother for the reporting racial harassment.

In addition to the $300,000 payment to complainants and an aggrieved individual, the agreement requires Cushing Housing to establish an anti-harassment policy as well as a fair housing and civil rights compliance policy. Both policies must be made available to all tenants and include formal grievance procedures. Respondents are also required to obtain fair housing and civil rights training for all officers, agents, and employees.

People who believe they have experienced discrimination may file a complaint by contacting HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at (800) 669-9777 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (Relay).

Housing discrimination complaints may also be filed at hud.gov/fairhousing.

Report Details Redlining of Native Lands

"REDLINING THE RESERVATION: The Brutal Cost Of Financial Services Inaccessibility In Native Communities"

The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) and the Native Community Capital have just released in December, 2023 an analytical report detailing the severe negatives of the lack of accessibility to financial services by residents of Native Land Areas. These formerly-called "Indian reservations" have much lower levels of economic prosperity and poorer life chances than other Americans.

This is especially relevant now because in late 2023 new Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (CRA) regulations specifically included Native Land Areas for the first time. These regulations are aimed at reducing the practice of redlining – the intentional exclusion by banks of minority, immigrant, and poor communities from financial services. Redlining denies creditworthy applicants housing loans in specific neighborhoods, irrespective of their eligibility.

The major findings of the report are:

(1) Traditional mortgage lending is failing Native American families because loan capital should instead flow through Native-led financial institutions aware of the administrative issues, geography, and culture of tribal lands. None of the three largest home lenders in the U.S. issue federally-guaranteed mortgages for the construction of new permanent homes in tribal lands. Therefore, little credit is promoting wealth-building via Native Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs), which are often focused exclusively on addressing the lack of access to capital in tribal communities.

(2) Half of all home purchase loans on tribal lands are used to purchase manufactured mobile homes. This is four times the rate elsewhere. Native Americans who succeed in getting a mortgage are often using it to purchase a dwelling that will decrease in value rather than foster generational wealth-building. As a result, wealth is flowing from already-impoverished Native communities because of high-cost lending on low-value housing to financier Warren Buffett, whose firms have a monopoly on manufactured home lending in the report's study area.

(3) Tribal lands received less than 1% of that loaned to small businesses in Arizona and New Mexico, starving Native American communities of economic opportunity. From 2018 to 2021, 0.004% of small business dollars loaned in Arizona and 0.012% in New Mexico went to borrowers on tribal lands. The average census tract on tribal land received only five small business loans, compared to 82 such loans made on average to non-tribal tracts.

(4) Tribal areas have far higher quantified financial need than other rural areas. The financial needs index indicates significantly worse access in tribal areas, meaning that people living on Tribal Lands are not being served nearly as well as other residents of Arizona and New Mexico.

Read the December 2023 NCRC report.

Download the report

DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT

Governor Moore Announces Program to Increase Homeownership Opportunities in Redlined Communities

 

Governor Moore Announces Program to Increase Homeownership Opportunities in Historically Redlined Communities ANNAPOLIS, MD (December 4, 2023) — Governor Wes Moore today announced the UPLIFT (Utilizing Progressive Lending Investments to Finance Transformation) program to increase homeownership opportunities, one of the most powerful drivers of the racial wealth gap, in chronically underinvested communities with a history of redlining. Administered through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, the program will address homes impacted by appraisal gaps by accelerating the pace of new construction and rehabilitation of quality affordable housing in strategically identified communities across Maryland. "Tackling the racial wealth gap is a core priority of the Moore-Miller Administration. We must actively work to reverse decades of disinvestment through good policy decisions and innovative programs like this one," said Gov. Moore. "Maryland will be a leader in these efforts, and we will continue to expand work, wages, and wealth for all Maryland families." UPLIFT builds on the department's past initiatives to create a public-private partnership to invest in disinvested communities. Through the program, selected developers will build, sell, and rehabilitate quality affordable housing in targeted neighborhoods in accordance with design and construction standards that ensure quality, timely production, and accountability. Homes in these communities appraise for less than the cost to build due to patterns of historic disinvestment depressing the home values. UPLIFT funds the difference between the appraised value and the sales price, and over time the new homes will elevate home values and reduce the gap in UPLIFT neighborhoods. Additionally, 25% of the homes in the program will be reserved for households with incomes below the area median income to become homeowners. Funded for $10 million through the Fiscal Year 2024 budget, UPLIFT builds on the department's Homeownership Works (HOW) pilot program, created in 2021. The first phase of the program is investing $10 million into new construction and rehabilitation projects in two Maryland neighborhoods, Johnston Square in Baltimore and Pine Street in Cambridge. On November 15, the first four homes in Johnston Square rehabilitated through the pilot program were celebrated in a ribbon cutting ceremony. The four homes, valued at approximately $24,000 pre-rehabilitation, are now entering the market priced in the low $300,000 range. "We have an opportunity to counteract historic disinvestment in our communities by building vibrant neighborhoods, improving home energy efficiency and quality of life, and building social connections between residents," said Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day. "This is just the beginning of those efforts, and we will continue to create new opportunities for Maryland homeowners to thrive." UPLIFT projects are required to be located in both a Low-Income Census Tract and in an area designated as a Maryland Sustainable Community. To identify qualifying areas, visit https://maryland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/lookup/index.html?appid=dff652a3d61a4d79abfc64f37be38689&locale=en&findSource=2&find=12455%252C%2520Margaretville%252C%2520New%2520York. To review the UPLIFT draft program guide, visit https://dhcd.maryland.gov/HousingDevelopment/Pages/UPLIFT.aspx. Comments will be accepted through December 29 and can be sent to UPLIFT.DHCD@Maryland.gov. The UPLIFT program application will open in early 2024. # # #

CONTACT: Allison Foster, Director of Communications - allison.foster@maryland.gov Brandi Bottalico, Director, Office of Public Information - brandi.bottalico@maryland.gov

Biennial Civil Rights & Fair Housing Gala Celebration

 

Mark Your Calendars - MCCR's Biennial Civil Rights & Fair Housing Gala Celebration

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. SAVE THE DATE Maryland Commission on Civil Rights' Biennial Civil Rights & Fair Housing Gala Celebration Celebrating Milestones: Pivotal Moments in History. Saturday, August 24, 2024 6:00pm until 10:00 pm at the Maryland Live! Hotel Ballroom 7002 Arundel Mills Circle #7777 Hanover, Maryland 21076 The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights is excited to announce that our Biennial Civil Rights & Fair Housing Gala Celebration will be held on August 24, 2024, from 6:00pm to 10:00pm at the Maryland Live! Hotel Ballroom in Hanover, Maryland. This year, our theme is "Celebrating Milestones: Pivotal Moments in History." In recent years, state and local organizations have achieved crucial milestones through their diversity in leadership. The values of cultural diversity and inclusiveness involve respect for and acceptance of different philosophies and values. By incorporating different cultures, we can inspire innovations and excellence in our lives, workplaces, communities, and the world. We look forward to seeing everyone there! Ticket Prices & Sponsorship Opportunities to Follow - Stay Tuned Victim of Discrimination? Training & Partnerships HOME      ABOUT MCCR      SERVICES      PUBLICATIONS      EVENTS      PRESS      CONTACT US

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Conference Assesses Positive Housing Opportunity Programs

"Connecting HUD-Assisted Renters to Opportunity"

A recent HUD report published in HUD User reports on the Bipartisan Policy Center's August, 2023 online event, “Investing in Opportunity: Rental Assistance and Neighborhoods of Choice,” featuring recent research from Opportunity Insights (OI) on the Seattle-based "Creating Moves to Opportunity" program along with a general discussion of the challenges and benefits for housing choice voucher (HCV) recipients moving to low-poverty, high-opportunity neighborhoods.

OI detailed recent research showing that children's upward economic mobility varies widely across neighborhoods nationwide. Studies have also shown that moving to higher-opportunity neighborhoods at younger ages can significantly improve outcomes later in life. Considerable research demonstrates that housing location affects essential outcomes, such as income and health, for residents, and that living in low-poverty neighborhoods with high-quality schools and low crime rates is associated with increased economic mobility and other positive effects. However, housing in these neighborhoods often is unaffordable for low-income families. 

Low-income families trying to access housing in high-opportunity neighborhoods face two big challenges: (1) finding a home to rent - one-third of high-opportunity neighborhoods are "rental deserts," many with exclusively or primarily single-family homes - and (2) being able to afford the rent. The assistance of counselors or coaches can help, especially when they are members or representatives of the community. 

For landlords, participation in the HCV program involves additional steps and paperwork, producing delays and uncertainty. Enterprise Community Partners urged policy changes to lower the regulatory burden for landlords to participate in the program and reduce the time to lease to a voucher holder.

Programs that provide housing vouchers and also ensure that the vouchers compete with market-rate rents, lower regulatory burdens for landlords, and provide additional financial supports can help low-income renters move to opportunity neighborhoods. Seattle's "Creating Moves to Opportunity" program and programs providing mobility-related services under HUD's Community Choice Demonstration are successful at increasing opportunity for HUD-assisted renters. 

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Source: Read the October 3, 2023 HUD User report.

HUD Releases Historical Analysis of Place-Based & Mobility Housing Programs

"Housing Programs and Racial Segregation: The Role of Place-Based and Mobility Programs"

by Peter J. Mateyka, Survey Statistician, Housing and Demographic Analysis Division, PD&R (2023-present).

HUD User has just released a detailed historical analysis on place-based and mobility housing programs regarding the goal of racially desegregating housing.

"Overcoming racial segregation in housing is part of the Fair Housing Act of 1968's Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) mandate. Over the past 50 years, the Office of Policy Development and Research's (PD&R's) work has expanded our understanding of the relationships between HUD's housing programs and racial segregation and how HUD can design housing programs that meet the AFFH mandate of overcoming segregation, promoting fair choice, and creating inclusive communities. The research and data on HUD programs and racial segregation that PD&R produces and disseminates highlight the department's successes, failures, and challenges in the pursuit of fair housing for all. 

HUD’s housing programs include place-based programs and housing mobility programs, both of which take different approaches to connecting underserved households to quality housing. Place-based programs focus on community development through revitalizing distressed neighborhoods. Mobility programs provide subsidies to underserved households that allow them to move to high-opportunity neighborhoods with better employment and educational opportunities and lower crime rates. HUD’s proposed 2023 revisions to its AFFH rule incorporate both place-based and housing mobility approaches:

Affirmatively furthering fair housing can involve both bringing investments to improve the housing, infrastructure, and community assets in underserved communities as well as enabling families to seek greater opportunity by moving to areas of the community that already enjoy better community infrastructure and community assets.

This article reviews the history of PD&R's work on HUD's place-based and housing mobility initiatives and discusses how this work has enhanced our understanding of the relationship between housing policy and racial segregation and advanced the AFFH mandate's goal of reducing residential segregation.

Mobility programs provide subsidies to underserved households, allowing them to move to opportunity neighborhoods with better employment and educational chances, and lower crime."

The report concludes:

"PD&R’s work over the past 50 years has contributed to a better understanding of the relationship between housing programs and racial segregation, which has, in turn, helped HUD design place-based and housing mobility program designs that better adhere to its AFFH mandate to overcome segregation, promote fair choice, and create inclusive communities, However, declines in neighborhood racial segregation among all U.S. households have slowed in recent decades. Although recent HUD programs often have improved outcomes for neighborhoods and individuals, they have had mixed success at reducing racial segregation in public housing and increasing neighborhood integration for those receiving housing assistance. A promising development is HUD’s recent revisions to its AFFH mandate, which allows HUD to consider the role of race in the initial planning and design of housing programs. One of PD&R’s contributions to AFFH planning is supporting the development of a publicly released data tool that can help localities identify patterns of racial segregation and differences in neighborhood opportunity and incorporate this information into fair housing strategies."

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Source: Read the October 17, 2023 HUD User report.