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Renters’ Rights Are Civil Rights

Tuesday, December 12, 2017
In This Issue: Housing Post-Election: Holding City Leaders Accountable ● “You’re Not Colored”: The Story of Two Civil Rights Activists of Japanese Descent ● Renters’ Rights are Civil Rights ● Also: Shelter Shorts ● Jobs ● Resources +
David Zisser, Public Advocates
Due to the hard work of advocates, local governments are starting to acknowledge that because displacement disproportionately affects communities of color, it is a civil rights issue. Here are the facts, and some action that advocates, renters, and allies can take in their own communities to pursue policy solutions. Read Full Article
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Brittany Hutson, freelance writer and editor
One of the top issues cited by voters in local elections across the country this fall was housing affordability. Here is a recap of their outcomes, and where affordable housing policy could go in several cities. Read Full Article
Miriam Axel-Lute and Keli Tianga, Shelterforce
We heard about Ed Nakawatase and Tamio Wakayama's experiences as volunteers with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee during the American civil rights movement, and the extraordinariness of their witness to the history happening at the time compelled us to pursue a conversation. Read Full Article
Shelter Shorts
The Week in Community Development
Shelter Shorts brings you quick-takes on the stories, programs, policies, and happenings that affect your work. This week's topics include: “Attainable” housing, defeating land contracts, a legal win for harassed tenants, preaching against gentrification, housing on Bill Gates’ mind?, and more. Read them all here.
Resources
Success Measures Health Outcome Tools A new suite of user-friendly measurement tools from Neighborworks America is available to help evaluate and document the health-related outcomes of a range of affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, supportive service, and community engagement programs. The report focuses on changes in health status, attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs at the individual and community level, as well as the quality and cultural sensitivity of health care providers and practices.
In a new report, the Carolina Small Business Development Fund, a CDFI, discusses its partnership with North Carolina’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities. HBCUs represent a prime opportunity for CDFIs to engage communities of color, expand access to entrepreneurship training and capital, and to increase their impact by leveraging expertise of both CDFIs and HBCUs. The report describes the evolution of the partnership model, the expected outcomes, and goals for the future.
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You Said It!

As a Clevelander working in the building industry, I’m thankful for the expression of the views in this piece. More importantly, I’m thankful for the rigorous work done to inform these views. As we work to develop, test, and implement solutions to the problems of housing specifically and development generally, this work and the forums that support it are indispensable. Two questions come to mind while reading the first time... —JP Luikart, more


Great work on one of the hardest problems to tackle, but one of the hugest portions of the affordable market... —Mindy Turbov, more


Rapid Re-Housing isn’t designed to work for everyone. As for D.C.—yes it’s really expensive, and yes there is a serious shortage of affordable housing, and yes I’m sure there’s a serious wage/rent gap in the area like many expensive cities. However, I think you’re conflating federal poverty level with AMI. It’s a little silly to assume... —Andrew Warren, more
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In Case You Missed It
Jobs
Chief Executive Officer ● The CEO will oversee governance and operation, leading the charge in establishing new pathways to private and public resources to support the organizational mission. Our primary goals are to advance housing policies that lead to access, equity, and inclusion; and to increase units with lasting affordability... Read Full Listing
Assistant Project Manager ● Telesis seeks an Assistant Project Manager to assist the development team in the day-to-day management of all aspects of the housing development process, including responding to proposals and supporting existing projects (design, entitlements, financing, and construction). Current projects include... Read Full Listing
Archdiocesan Housing Chief Executive Officer ● The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York seeks a recognized leader in the affordable housing community to direct and oversee its affordable housing programs as its first Archdiocesan Housing CEO. The CEO will oversee and manage the increasingly complex and... Read Full Listing
Senior OrganizerThe Center for Community Change Housing Trust Fund Project seeks a staff person to build statewide networks of affordable housing residents and to work on all aspects of providing information and technical assistance to organizations working to create/implement city, county, or state housing trust funds... Read Full Listing
Program Manager, Affordable HomeownershipThe PM will develop, implement, and provide ongoing management for our Affordable Homeownership Team. We work to address the growing racial wealth divide through program development, policy advocacy, partnerships, and thought leadership to ensure... Read Full Listing
Training Senior SpecialistWe are looking for a creative and detail-oriented self-starter to join our team to oversee our annual national conference and grow our training program’s scale and impact. Our work requires someone who can balance and incorporate many different perspectives into complicated, fast-paced... Read Full Listing
More Jobs
Featured Bloggers
Bob Annibale, Citi ● Laura Barrett, Interfaith Worker Justice ● Murtaza Baxamusa, Sol Price School of Public Policy, USC ● Michael Bodaken, National Housing Trust ● Bill Bynum, HOPE Credit Union ● Steve DubbJamaal Green, Portland State University ● John Henneberger, Texas Low Income Housing Information Service ● David Holtzman, newspaper reporter and former planner ● Josh Ishimatsu, National CAPACD ● Rick Jacobus, Street Level Advisors ● Daniel Kravetz, freelance writer ● Alan Mallach, Center for Community Progress ● Jonathan Reckford, Habitat for Humanity ● Doug Ryan, Prosperity Now ● Josh Silver, NCRC ● James Tracy, San Francisco Community Land Trust ● Eva Wingren, Baltimore Community Foundation