Best practices for RAD “Choice-Mobility” implementation: The Rental Assistance Demonstration has become the most significant public housing redevelopment program in the U.S., bringing new funds to support aging properties around the country. One essential element of the program is that, after conversion, all tenants have a right to request a portable Housing Choice Voucher, and move to a community of their choice (thus opening up their apartment to another eligible family on the waiting list). Few housing authorities have worked out plans for implementation of this Choice-Mobility feature of the program, so we have developed a guidance document for PHAs and advocates, based on extensive policy research and interviews. See Guidance for Successful Implementation of Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) Choice-Mobility on our public housing redevelopment page.
School construction and school segregation: Historically, state support for suburban school construction facilitated white flight and metropolitan segregation. The least we can do today is think more carefully about the impacts of future school construction funding. PRRAC has prepared a policy brief on this question, based on a state-by-state survey of current practices. See State Support for Local School Construction: Leveraging Equity and Diversity.
Another state-funded housing mobility program! Congratulations to Allegheny County (and the Allegheny County and Pittsburgh Housing Authorities) for securing a competitive grant from the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund (administered by the state HFA) to launch a regional housing mobility program. Pennsylvania joins at least four other states (MA, NJ, NY, CT) that are supporting regional housing mobility programs.
Other resources
Philanthropy’s role in addressing housing segregation: The Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy at Brandeis University has published a “landscape survey” on grassroots efforts to support housing integration in the country, Inhabiting Change: Roles for Philanthropy in Reducing and Redressing Housing Segregation.
Mapping the obvious: Kudos to the New York Times climate justice team for this powerful article overlaying satellite heat maps onto 20th century redlining maps, with a vivid case study focused on Richmond, Virginia, showing the extent of city planning and architectural interventions and neglect that have raised average temperatures in low income communities of color.
Journal of Children & Media (JOCAM) Call for Papers: JOCAM is looking for submissions for its special issue ”Children, Media, and the Clarity of Crisis.” Specifically they are looking for reflections from scholars and practitioners on “how this tumultuous year has caused you to re-evaluate any aspect of your children, adolescents, and media research, pedagogy, and production.” Learn more here.
