NAR Focuses on Fair Housing During Black History Month

NAR Focuses on Fair Housing During Black History Month

February 2021

As NAR recognizes Black History Month, we honor the legacy of great black leaders by carrying on their fight to eliminate housing discrimination, expand homeownership, and reduce wealth inequality.

While the long-lasting impact of historical discrimination would make closing the homeownership gap in America challenging enough, fallout from the pandemic is likely to exacerbate that inequality without more urgent leadership from this association, our nation’s policymakers, and our industry partners.

While NAR continues to work alongside the National Association of Real Estate Brokers and the Urban Institute to address the persistent low rates of African-American homeownership, we also recognize that, as the largest trade association in the world, NAR is uniquely positioned to do more to close this gap and bring equity to the nation’s housing industry.

The viability of our 1.4 million members depends on the free, fair, transparent, and efficient transfer of property in this country. Over recent years, NAR has vocally advocated for increased fair housing budgets at HUD, supported “testing” of housing providers as the best tool for uncovering discrimination, and we continue to build off the five-point framework to boost minority homeownership developed in collaboration with NAREB and the Urban Institute.

Beyond what’s taking place in Washington and in state legislatures across the U.S., NAR is also working to ensure Realtors® are active leaders in the fight against bias and discrimination. Last year, we began implementing our fair housing “ACT!” plan, and we’re currently working with our partners to develop a “second ACT” that addresses systemic housing discrimination.

Beyond that, we are building on the member-focused implicit bias training video we released last summer with a classroom course that qualifies for continuing education credit, and continue to promote to members our Fairhaven fair housing simulation training released last fall.

NAR’s influence – and the ability of our 1.4 million members to initiate positive change in this nation – feels more valuable than ever this Black History Month. Each day we must be vigilant in the fight to ensure every potential homeowner can find the home and neighborhood of their dreams. That’s why our goals will remain the same in every month, throughout every transaction, and during every opportunity we have to fight discrimination and promote racial equity in America.

Comments(4)

  1. REPLY
    Paul Fiamengo says

    Charlie,
    I am currently doing research on racial discrimination in housing sales in the Dayton, Ohio area that is occurring presently (2020/2021). Although I have found several resent cases of discrimination in the rental market, I have not found any cases on the sales side. Can you give me some cases where this is currently occurring? (2020-21). We all know about past discrimination in many areas, but I cannot control the past, only the present and future. Thanks for your hard work!
    Sincerely,
    Paul Fiamengo Dayton, OH.

  2. REPLY
    Mark Tucker says

    To All ,
    NAR should now be more proactive with the its actions to provide more transparency in the real estate buying and selling processes it is well documented that it along with the NAREB and HUD that we some major huddles to overcome. Here are a few recommendations that should be considered,
    1.New President should establish a new board of Black ,Hispanic and Asian Agents to help set a course for the future.
    2.Establish a working relationship with the Urban League and the Hispanic Chamber in every major city .
    3.Investigate,review and update the Multi -offer sales process ,current process is not transparent and is very discriminatory.
    4.Set in place a mandate to have minorities on all the local boards to help review Redlining and Steering issues.
    5.Review with the Appraisal Institute the current appraisal process under the virus constraints, which negatively effects minorities at a higher level .

  3. REPLY
    Lisa DuPree says

    Amen!

  4. REPLY
    Allen Okamoto says

    Charlie, you and your team are terrific.
    You make me proud to be a member of NAR.

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