Reimagining Equity: Confronting America's Racialized Housing Policy

America's rich tapestry of communities, woven through with the vibrant threads of its diverse population, is stained by an indelible blot: racialized zoning. This blot is not a remnant of a distant past, it seeps into our present, staining our health, education, and economic mobility. Despite the promise of the Fair Housing Act of 1968 to eliminate discrimination in housing, this systemic issue persists.

Sociologists and historians often discuss residential segregation as a relic of the 20th century, but as we delve deeper into the 21st century, we find its shadow looming large. The contours of this social structure have a bearing on a range of life outcomes, from health and education to socio-economic mobility and stability.

Consider health outcomes, a critical determinant of quality of life. According to a growing body of research, racial residential segregation underpins Black-white disparities in health. This pattern isn’t random or natural—it's an artificial construct resulting from targeted policies and societal norms. Our neighborhoods, and therefore our access to health-promoting resources and opportunities, are determined by this legacy. Unhealthy housing and impoverished community conditions, disproportionately present in low-income areas, are linked to a variety of health concerns, from mental health issues to physical ailments. COVID-19 illuminated this reality all too starkly, underscoring and exacerbating existing disparities.

Dwell for a moment on a pandemic-ravaged world. The economy halted, unemployment soared, and systemic disparities in wealth and health came to the fore. Black communities, entrenched in inequalities resulting from racism, classism, and discrimination, bore the brunt of the pandemic. This adverse impact was manifested in the housing sector, which is inexorably tied to socio-economic stability. In the midst of the crisis, Black homeownership rates ebbed and flowed—first rising with low interest rates and then plummeting as unemployment and health impacts took their toll.

Economic disparities resulting from a history of racialized zoning are not merely numbers on a spreadsheet—they are lived experiences that shape generations. The devaluation of Black neighborhoods and the relegation of their residents to being tenants in a market dominated by white landlords have hindered the transfer of wealth to successive generations. The federal government’s refusal to approve loans to Black service members under the GI Bill and to other Black loan seekers looking for mortgages, citing racial restrictions, serves as a painful reminder of missed opportunities to correct course.

Throughout our history, there have been glimmers of hope, moments when a different path could have been taken. The fusionist movement of the 1890s saw Black and white farmers unite under a populist banner, leading to the expansion of voting rights and the appointment of Black leaders to government positions in North Carolina. Had Plessy's case in 1896 yielded a different result, the legal landscape of race in America might look different today. Yet, each opportunity was squandered, perpetuating a system that sustains segregation.

Looking forward, we must recognize the cost of a century-and-a-half of structural racism in housing policy. These costs are borne not just by individuals, but by health systems, schools, employers, public housing, and policing agencies. Preserving the status quo is not an option; we must make intentional, deliberate investments to mitigate the enduring effects of the past.

A strategic, data-driven investment in safe, healthy, fair, and affordable housing has the potential to stabilize property values, improve tax revenue, reduce transportation and health costs, and improve life chances. But this approach should not be seen as a panacea—it must be part of a broader strategy to address inequalities in employment, education, and other spheres.

In 2015, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) introduced the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule. It was a promising step forward, a policy designed to compel HUD program participants to plan for fair housing outcomes and ultimately to reduce the harmful impact of our history of segregation. However, after a four-year hiatus under the Trump administration, the AFFH has been resurrected under President Biden's leadership.

The AFFH rule could help address the failings of the Fair Housing Act in proactively tackling racial disparities and enhancing access to opportunities. Nevertheless, the success of this policy hinges on the backing of local officials and the readiness to spend political capital within county commissions and city councils. The path forward necessitates an intentional anti-racist effort by local planners and policymakers, and the recognition that housing is more than mere shelter—it is a linchpin in the quest for social equity.

So, we find ourselves at an interesting juncture, where history and policy intersect. The trajectory we follow from here can either perpetuate the past's inequities or chart a course towards a more equitable future. The call is not just for policy change, but also for a fundamental shift in our societal mindset—a recognition that housing is a human right and not a privilege.

Our cities and neighborhoods are a microcosm of our nation’s values, mirrored back to us in the contours of our landscape. If we are to fulfill the promise of our shared ideals—liberty, equality, justice—we must consciously chip away at the racialized zoning that still scars our communities.

In closing, let's contemplate the words of renowned urbanist Jane Jacobs, who once stated, "Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” If we are to create equitable cities that offer opportunities for all, we must confront the vestiges of racialized zoning and segregation, not as isolated relics of the past, but as living structures that shape our present and future.

To affirmatively further fair housing is not merely to establish legal mandates or to allocate resources—it is to affirm a commitment to a more equitable, inclusive society. As we look forward, let us not be blind to the rear-view mirror, to the ways in which our history still shapes our present. Let us see the promise of a new dawn, a horizon where housing policy is a bridge to opportunity, not a wall of segregation. In this vision, we find not just the potential for a more equitable future, but the fulfillment of the American promise: a place where everyone, regardless of race or class, has the right to safe, stable, affordable housing.

Read more "Enduring Impact of Racialized Planning in Southern Cities": https://lnkd.in/dTic6emv