An NAACP LDF, PRRAC, Open Communities Alliance, Sillerman Center Report (October 2020). By Susan Eaton. Excerpt: "This report was inspired in part by the 2017 book The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America, by Richard Rothstein...This report offers a similar accounting of the nature, origins, and harms of racial segregation. But it is … [Read more...] about A Steady Habit of Segregation (NAACP LDF, PRRAC, Open Communities Alliance, Sillerman Center, October 2020)
Browse PRRAC's Issue Areas
Disparate Impact (Discriminatory Effects Standard)
The Discriminatory Effects Standard (commonly known as Disparate Impact) of the Fair Housing Act of 1968 upholds our societal obligation to fairness by respecting and protecting equal opportunity. The goal of the Disparate Impact standard is to root out unjustified practices that discriminate against groups protected by the Fair Housing Act, even where there is no specific … [Read more...] about Disparate Impact (Discriminatory Effects Standard)
Public or Community Control of Rental Housing Policy Brief No. 3: Community Land Trusts and Other Public Ownership Vehicles (PRRAC, October 2020)
Another option for increasing public ownership of private properties is the use of community land trusts (CLTs). These organizations are typically nonprofit entities that acquire land and convey the land to building owners through a ground lease.[1] By owning the land, CLTs ensure that properties sited on the land are affordable in perpetuity. Historically, private groups … [Read more...] about Public or Community Control of Rental Housing Policy Brief No. 3: Community Land Trusts and Other Public Ownership Vehicles (PRRAC, October 2020)
Public or Community Control of Rental Housing Policy Brief No. 2: Using Eminent Domain to Acquire Private Rental Housing – Recent Examples (PRRAC, October 2020)
The King County Housing Authority (KCHA) in Washington State has used eminent domain as part of its affordable housing strategy. Under Washington State law, public housing authorities are authorized to use eminent domain to acquire housing projects within their area of operation.[1] KCHA has used the threat of eminent domain to encourage owners to sell affordable multifamily … [Read more...] about Public or Community Control of Rental Housing Policy Brief No. 2: Using Eminent Domain to Acquire Private Rental Housing – Recent Examples (PRRAC, October 2020)
Public or Community Control of Rental Housing Policy Brief No. 1: Right of First Refusal – Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Acts (PRRAC, October 2020)
The District of Columbia’s Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) was enacted in 1980 and is designed to help tenants stay in their homes if an owner decides to sell their rental property. Under TOPA, tenants in multi-family buildings with 5 or more units have the right of first refusal. Under this provision, the owner of a rental property must offer tenants the option to … [Read more...] about Public or Community Control of Rental Housing Policy Brief No. 1: Right of First Refusal – Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Acts (PRRAC, October 2020)