Our Combating Redlining Initiative, launched in 2021, has made transformative progress in advancing economic opportunities for communities of color in Birmingham, Alabama; Columbus, Ohio; Houston; Jacksonville, Florida; Los Angeles, California; Memphis, Tennessee; Newark, New Jersey; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Tulsa, Oklahoma; throughout Rhode Island; and elsewhere. Redlining is the unlawful practice of denying residents in communities of color equal access to credit because of race, color, or national origin.
We secured over $153 million in relief for communities of color that have faced lending discrimination by banks or mortgage lenders, resulting in more than $1 billion in new economic opportunities for these affected communities.
Of the thousands of families who will benefit from the Initiative, below are homeownership stories from a few individuals. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division partnered with the Entertainment Creative Collaborative Outreach (E.C.C.O.-USA) www.eccousa.org/ to collect and share these powerful stories.
Before her family bought a house, Rena, her daughter, and her teenage grandson rented a two-bedroom home. Finding a place with more space where all three generations could live together comfortably in the long-term was a top priority for her family.
Now, with the help of a grant secured through the Justice Department’s Combating Redlining Initiative, Rena and her daughter have become the owners of a three-story house with a finished basement. And they have a bedroom for each member of their household.
Rena says that when she gets older, she plans to have her own apartment in the basement. “I tell my grandson this is what I want,” Rena explains, “it’s a good thing to be with the next generation.”
Click here for additional information on the initiative and those who acquired homes through the special program.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice (Office of Public Affairs)