Jul 15, 2019
What does it take to eliminate housing discrimination and ensure equal housing opportunity? According to Lisa Rice, President of the National Fair Housing Alliance, (NHFA) it starts with recognizing that discrimination and inequity are rooted in federal policies, most fundamentally, residential segregation. The legacy of racist policies, from redlining to unequal access to credit, persists in communities of color. Disinvestment creates desperation for those seeking credit, a vacuum that has been filled by payday lenders and other predatory actors. NFHA is dedicated to the equal and fair access of all people to live in the housing and community of their choice. And while NFHA advocates for just policies no matter who is in the White House, the extreme actions of the current administration have created unforeseen circumstances. They include the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s eradication of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule, which NFHA legally challenged and was able to restore, but without the tool that enables municipalities to meet fair housing act requirements. We are all responsible to raise our voices in the name of justice.