Housing finance and racial justice: PRRAC’s new report, Racial Justice in Housing Finance: A Series on New Directions, examines the law and policy assumptions underlying our affordable housing systems and proposes changes. Contributing authors include Megan Haberle, Sophia House, Carolina Reid, Henry-Louis Taylor, Jr., Henry Korman, Max Bebris, Jacob Faber, Elizabeth Korver-Glenn, Dan Immergluck, Patrice Alexander Ficklin, Charles Nier III, Josh Silver, Philip Tegeler, Krystle Okafor, Oksana Mironova, Tara Raghuveer, Peter Kye, Darryn Mumphery, Matthew Murphy, and Adam George.
Diverse large school districts: The National Coalition on School Diversity’s latest research brief, Which Districts Might Benefit from the Strength in Diversity Act: A Look into the Most Diverse, But Segregated, Large School Districts in the United States, identifies 179 districts across the U.S. that have significant in-district student diversity, but are also highly segregated across schools. These are school districts that might benefit the most from the proposed Strength in Diversity Act, which would provide grants for states and school districts to develop local plans to promote school diversity.
Other Resources:
Alarming statistics on lead and Housing Choice Vouchers: A new GAO report, Lead Paint in Housing: Key Considerations for Adopting Stricter Lead Evaluation Methods in HUD’s Voucher Program (GAO-21-325), points out that HUD’s voucher program has 1.1 million families living in housing units built before 1978—including about 229,000 children under 6 years old (who are at greatest risk from lead exposure). The report evaluates the costs and feasibility of an intensified inspection program by HUD to identify lead-unsafe properties, but does not mention the importance of offering assistance to families with young children to move to lead-safe properties and neighborhoods.
Neighborhood effects primer: The Toledo Fair Housing Center has posted an excellent 30-minute overview called “Zip Code Matters.”
More social housing resources: Partners for Dignity & Rights (formerly NESRI) has released Creating Community Controlled, Deeply Affordable Housing: A Resource Toolkit for Community Activists & Allied Community-Based Housing Developers.
