It’s no secret that the United States has a long history of discrimination and inequity. Whether you look at the history of education, employment, or housing, the story is largely the same. For decades, people of color and other marginalized groups have been excluded from the benefits of the so-called “American Dream.” In response, a […]
June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, a time to celebrate and honor the LGBTQ+ community, as we advocate for a more inclusive society, where every person is free to be their full, authentic self. While progress has been made over the years, many LGBTQ+ Americans continue to experience discrimination in their personal lives, in the workplace, […]
By Austin Cummings, Research Associate “Financial violence is racial violence: geographies of housing financialization spatialize hierarchies of death-dealing difference.” – Desire Fields and Elora Lee Raymond (2021). Racialized geographies of housing financialization. Progress in Human Geography. Vol.45(6) 1625-1645. DOI: 10.1177/03091132521009299. Home improvement, repair, and update projects serve a number of purposes. They help households increase […]
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which aims to fight stigma, provide support, educate the public, and advocate for policies that support the millions of people in the U.S. affected by mental illness. In 2021, one in five U.S. adults (or 22.3%) experienced mental illness, and one in twenty adults experienced serious mental illness. For […]
What is Fair Housing Month? Each April, fair housing advocates, organizations, and local communities across the country celebrate National Fair Housing Month by hosting a variety of activities and events that increase public awareness of fair housing work, and highlight the importance of creating equitable and inclusive communities. The month-long observance celebrates the passage of […]
March is Women’s History Month, a time to recognize the contributions of women throughout history and in modern society. While much of the history we’re taught centers around men, make no mistake — women and non-binary people have always played an important role in every facet of our society, including in the housing justice movement. […]
By Austin Cummings, Research Associate Put simply, the market penalizes integration: The higher the percentage of Blacks in the neighborhood, the less the home is worth, even when researchers control for age, social class, household structure, and geography. Dorothy A. Brown, “Homeownership in Black and White: The Role of Tax Policy in Increasing Housing Inequity” […]
In the United States, over 44 million households currently live in rental housing. Federal laws, like the Fair Housing Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Fair Credit Reporting Act protect renters from discrimination and unfair treatment. Still, there are gaps to fill when it comes to renter protections in this country. From unreasonable […]
The Fair Housing Act was signed into law with the intention of providing every person living in America the right to fair and equal housing opportunities. While this law has helped protect millions from unlawful discrimination, we also know that there is still work to do in order for the goal of the Fair Housing […]
Over the past few years, we have seen the benefits of having the option to work or learn remotely. From convenience and comfort to time and money saved, there are a number of reasons that people prefer the option of attending trainings, events, and classes online. And while in-person learning works better for some, it […]
Having kids comes with its own set of unique challenges, and one thing most people can agree on is that parenting is no easy job. However, there is a challenge that many families with children do not expect to face — housing discrimination. Although the Fair Housing Act makes it illegal for housing providers to […]
Since first hitting virtually every part of the world almost three years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic has altered life as we know it. The pandemic has impacted the health, jobs, opportunities, and ways of life for people all around the world, and has exacerbated long-standing systemic inequities. It has also had a significant impact on […]
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, an annual observance that raises awareness for issues surrounding domestic violence and those impacted by it. Domestic violence occurs when one person intentionally causes physical or emotional harm to a partner in an intimate relationship. This may include sexual assault, physical abuse, and/or psychological or emotional abuse. It is a […]
Criminal Records Present Lifelong Barriers One in three people in the United States has a criminal record. Unfortunately, for most people with a criminal record, life doesn’t just go “back to normal” after paying their debt to society. Having a record — even a misdemeanor — comes with thousands of potential collateral sanctions, or the “unanticipated, […]
By Austin Cummings, research associate at the Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research Access to credit is the “underpinning of economic inclusion and wealth-building in the United States” (Mitchell and Franco, 2018: 5). Credit inequality contributes to the wealth gap and undermines fair access to housing. Communities of color throughout the United States have […]
