Reece testifies at Senate committee hearing on legacy of racial discrimination in housing
On April 13, Assistant Professor of City and Regional Planning Jason Reece testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs during a hearing titled "Separate and Unequal: The Legacy of Racial Discrimination in Housing."
"Many contemporary policy innovations and reforms could proactively counter the legacy of segregation in the housing market and foster reinvestment into neighborhoods that have faced historic disinvestment. Federal leadership and investment are needed to support communities and local governments who attempt to dismantle exclusionary land use regulations, open housing opportunities and foster reinvestment into historically disinvested neighborhoods. Federal leadership is needed in building capacity, fostering collaboration, fostering local innovation while assuring protection of civil rights. The federal government’s leadership could be beneficial in aligning critical infrastructure investments, supporting the implementation of fair housing programs (particularly housing mobility programs) and fostering regional planning activities and capacity building." — Assistant Professor Jason Reece
Reece's testimony follows his research that seeks to understand the history and consequences of discrimination in housing and development.
He was joined as witness by: Richard Rothstein, Senior Fellow Emeritus, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund; Lisa Rice, President and CEO, National Fair Housing Alliance; Howard Husock, Senior Executive Fellow, Philanthropy Roundtable and Adjunct Scholar, American Enterprise Institute; and Tobias Peter, Research Fellow and Director of Research, American Enterprise Institute Housing Center.
