At Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia, we understand that housing is deeply interwoven with social issues, both past and present. When talking about housing, it’s important to address issues such racism and health, as both play a critical role in how families can or cannot access affordable homeownership opportunities.
To build a better and more just Northern Virginia, we need to build communities that are diverse and inclusive. By better understanding past and current challenges, we can better achieve our mission.
Below is a resource list of articles, books, and videos from experts where you can learn more about a variety of societal issues.
Housing & Race
- Race and Housing in America: Homeownership is key to personal wealth. But segregation promoted by government, banks and the real estate industry persists today in access to homeownership. Learn more with this presentation by Axios.
- 5 Policy Solutions to Advance Racial Equity Housing: Habitat International a non-exhaustive list of housing policy solutions that we can all help push forward to redress the nation’s legacy of discrimination against people of color — and especially Black Americans — and to help our nation begin to heal.
- Closing the Gap: Build Black Wealth through Homeownership: A research report by the Urban Institute
- Segregated by Design: A video that examines the forgotten history of how our federal, state and local governments unconstitutionally segregated every major metropolitan area in America through law and policy.
- The Color of Law: Richard Rothstein argues with exacting precision and fascinating insight how segregation in America—the incessant kind that continues to dog our major cities and has contributed to so much recent social strife—is the byproduct of explicit government policies at the local, state, and federal levels.
- How historic housing discrimination against Black Americans contributes to racial inequities today: Habitat for Humanity hosted a discussion on how historic housing discrimination against Black Americans contributes to racial inequities today with Richard Rothstein, author of The Color of Law, Distinguished Fellow of the Economic Policy Institute and a Senior Fellow (emeritus) at the Thurgood Marshall Institute of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Alexi McCammond, political reporter for Axios (Moderator), and Dwayne Spencer, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis
- Evicted: Matthew Desmond transforms our understanding of poverty and economic exploitation while providing fresh ideas for solving one of twenty-first-century America’s most devastating problems. Its unforgettable scenes of hope and loss remind us of the centrality of home, without which nothing else is possible.
- Redlining was banned 50 years ago. It’s still hurting minorities today by Tracey Jan (Washington Post)
The Racial Segregation of American Cities Was Anything But Accidental by Katie Nodjimbadem (Smithsonianmag.com)
One home, a lifetime of impact by Michele Lerner (Washington Post)
- Habitat’s commitment: Be actively anti-racist and affirm that Black Lives Matter: Habitat for Humanity International
Housing & Health
- 7 findings on COVID-19’s impact on housing
- A discussion with Sen. Jack Reed on housing stability during the COVID-19 pandemic: U.S. Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Habitat for Humanity International CEO Jonathan Reckford will discuss the need for congressional support of housing stability during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, including Sen. Reed’s legislation to establish the Housing Assistance Fund, which is directly aligned with the goals of Habitat for Humanity’s Cost of Home campaign.
- Coronavirus could widen black wealth gap by Michelle Singletary (Washington Post)
- Housing is the prescription we need by Megan Sandel, MD, MPH and Jonathan Reckford, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity International