AFFH for States: If some version of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule is reinstated later this year, it will be a major opportunity for state governments (which were left out of the initial AFFH process because the Trump Administration suspended the rule before the paperwork for state governments was completed). In anticipation of a reinstated rule, we’ve put together some ideas for how state governments can take advantage of a revived AFFH process to affirmatively address segregation and its consequences. See our new report here.
School integration in the 2022 budget: although the 2022 appropriations bill has been stalled during the debate over “Build Back Better,” we are still hopeful that a budget will pass, and last week an extensive group of organizations and researchers joined the National Coalition on School Diversity in urging the House and Senate leadership to include the “Fostering Diverse Schools” program in the final bill. The Fostering Diverse Schools program was included in the 2022 House Appropriations Bill approved last fall, and it would support grants for states and local school districts to plan for more racially and economically integrated schools.
Other resources – and jobs
AFFH ICYMI: The California Housing Partnership released an excellent AFFH policy brief in December, “Addressing Segregation and Unequal Access to Opportunity in California with Affordable Housing Investments: A Path Forward for a Comprehensive Approach” (by Dan Rinzler and José Loya).
New NFHA report on discrimination in real estate appraisals: The National Fair Housing Alliance has just released a detailed federally funded report on discriminatory practices and bias embedded in the home appraisal system, and recommendations for reform. The report includes a “comprehensive analysis of structural challenges in Appraisal Standards and Appraiser Criteria.”
Fair housing at NLIHC: The National Low Income Housing Coalition is hiring a policy analyst (or senior policy analyst) focused on fair housing – see the listing here.
The Open Communities Alliance is hiring a Director of Strategic Partnerships and an organizer. Join this innovative Connecticut nonprofit committed to both desegregating Connecticut and redressing the impacts of segregation in its most disadvantaged communities.
