County Commissioners call for boost in African American home ownership
Published on July 12, 2021
Noting the divide in the homeownership rates between African American families and white families is greater today than when it was legal to refuse to sell a home because of the color of a person's skin, Wayne County Commissioners today called for efforts to increase home ownership by African Americans.
"This is an issue near and dear to my heart," said Commissioner Monique Baker McCormick (D-Detroit), who is also a licensed real estate agent.
The resolution, presented by Commissioner Baker McCormick, notes that home ownership rates for African Americans today is lower than it was in 1968, when the Fair Housing Act was passed by Congress.
"Home ownership is truly a major part of the American Dream and that dream is currently unavailable to too many Americans," said Commission Chair Alisha Bell (D-Detroit). Figures show that while the home ownership rate is nearly 75 percent for White Americans, it is only slightly more than 40 percent for Black Americans.
The resolution, presented by Commissioner Baker McCormick, notes that home ownership rates for African Americans today is lower than it was in 1968, when the Fair Housing Act was passed by Congress.
It recommends that federal, state and local government, as well as private agencies, invest in programs and adopt laws and polices supporting African American home ownership and commit funding to "further facilitate endeavors aimed at increasing homeownership for African American families."
The resolution will be sent to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans, members of the Michigan Legislature, the county's Congressional delegation and the Black Homeownership Collaborative.
For more on the resolution, visit https://www.wxyz.com/news/upfront/new-effort-underway-toboost-african-american-homeownership
A copy of the resolution follows.
RESOLUTION No. 2021
WHEREAS, the month of June is National Homeownership Month, a time to share our stories and create opportunities for future homeowners; and
WHEREAS, the divide in the homeownership rate between African American and white families in the United States is greater today than it was when it was legal to refuse to sell a home because of the color of a person's skin; and
WHEREAS, it became illegal to discriminate in the selling, transferring and leasing of real property based upon a person's race through the Civil Rights Act of 1866. Later these prohibitions were expanded with the Fair Housing Act passed on April 11, 1968, which prohibited housing discrimination based on color, religion and national origin; and
WHEREAS, between 1950 and 1970, African Americans increased their homeownership from 35 percent to 42 percent; and
WHEREAS, U.S. Census data shows that the percentage of African Americans in the United States who own homes today is essentially the same as it was the 1970s; and
WHEREAS, according to the Urban Institute, African American homeownership in the U.S. currently stands at 42.3 percent and 72.2 percent for whites. If intentional actions are not taken to increase access to resources that support and facilitate the homebuying process, African American homeownership is expected to decrease further by 2040; and
WHEREAS, since the 2008 housing market downfall, African American families have not recovered as quickly as white families, further indicating that intentional measures to close the divide are critical and necessary; and
WHEREAS, not only has homeownership for African Americans decreased, but accessing mortgage credit has become difficult outside of government insured programs such as the Federal Housing Administration and Resolution No. 2021- Page 2 Veterans Affairs loans. Unemployment numbers remain high among African Americans, and vacant and abandoned properties remain an eyesore in many predominantly African American neighborhoods, leading to decreased property values; and
WHEREAS, the reduced number of African Americans owning their homes will further perpetuate racial inequality as homeownership remains the principal way for families to increase wealth in the U.S.; and
WHEREAS, changing the course of this entrenched problem will require intentional policymaking, the elimination of disparate systemic barriers and effective partnerships at the federal, state and local levels between stakeholders in the housing ecosystem; and WHEREAS, concerted measures must be taken to significantly increase the U.S. and, specifically, Wayne County's African American homeownership rate; and
WHEREAS, the Black Homeownership Collaborative, a newly created coalition composed of more than 100 individuals and organizations, launched a commitment to create 3 million new African American homeowners by 2030 through an ambitious seven-point plan. The Black Homeownership Collaborative is led by a steering committee of executives from the Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), National Association of Realtors, National Association of Real Estate Brokers, National Fair Housing Alliance, National Housing Conference, National Urban League and Urban Institute; and
WHEREAS, that the Black Homeownership Collaborative identified seven areas requiring attention: homeownership counseling; down payment assistance; housing production; credit and lending; civil and consumer rights; homeownership sustainability; and marketing and outreach. The actions called for by the collaborative include increased funding for housing counseling services, a targeted down payment assistance program, and restoration of all legal doctrines and provisions of law that address systemic discriminatory policies. Now therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the Wayne County Commission on this 1st day of July, 2021 vehemently supports any effort at the local, state and federal levels that improve African American homeownership rates, thereby expanding sustainable homeownership opportunities, strengthening communities and improving the economy, in Wayne County and throughout the U.S.; and be it further
RESOLVED, that Wayne County Commissioners are encouraged to participate in federal, state and local discussions and programs to research and influence policymaking and effective partnerships among stakeholders in the Resolution No. 2021- Page 3 housing ecosystem to help promote African American homeownership; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Wayne County Commission recommends that federal, state and local governments and private entities invest in homeownership programs, adopt laws and policies supporting African American homeownership, and commit funding to further facilitate endeavors aimed at increasing homeownership for African American families; and be it further
RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, the Detroit City Council, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the Wayne County delegation in the Michigan Legislature, the Wayne County delegation in Congress and the Black Homeownership Collaborative
County Commissioners call for boost in African American home ownership(PDF, 200KB)