National Fair Housing Alliance Applauds DOJ’s Historic Redlining Settlements

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2023
Contact: Janelle Brevard | jbrevard@nationalfairhousing.org

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced today that its Combatting Redlining Initiative has secured over $107 million in relief for communities of color nationwide. National Fair Housing Alliance® (NFHA™) Executive Vice President Nikitra Bailey released the following statement:

“On the second anniversary of the Combatting Redlining Initiative, we applaud the DOJ for its historic efforts in securing over $100 million for communities of color in Houston, Memphis, Philadelphia, Camden, Wilmington, Newark, Los Angeles, Columbus, Tulsa, Rhode Island, and now Jacksonville. Homeownership serves as the cornerstone for building wealth, ensuring economic stability, and unlocking a myriad of opportunities. These include accruing home equity for vital needs like college education, covering home repairs, managing medical bills, serving as collateral for small businesses, and securing a comfortable retirement. Unfortunately, the Black/White homeownership gap is currently as wide as it was before passage of the Fair Housing Act and the Latino/White homeownership gap continues to lag. We applaud the DOJ’s proactive work to end the legacy of redlining Black and Latino communities by pursuing strong enforcement actions. No person should be denied access to economic opportunities based on their race or national origin.

“Given the central role that homeownership plays in the economic security of the American consumer and the economy overall, NFHA has provided access to a Redlining Toolkit to help civil rights and consumer advocates, journalists, researchers, and lenders understand redlining risk and take action to protect consumers and communities. The toolkit serves as a roadmap for those who want to ensure fair and equitable access to credit and compliance with applicable laws.”

The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) is the country’s only national civil rights organization dedicated solely to eliminating all forms of housing and lending discrimination and ensuring equal opportunities for all people. As the trade association for over 170 fair housing and justice-centered organizations and individuals throughout the U.S. and its territories, NFHA works to dismantle longstanding barriers to equity and build diverse, inclusive, well-resourced communities.