Public Policy on Housing Discrimination Executive Summary Housing discrimination and segregation have long been present in the American society (Lamb and Wilk). The ideals of public housing and home buying have always been intertwined with the social and political transformation of America, especially in terms of segregation and inequality of capital and race (Wyly, Ponder and Nettking). Nevertheless, the recent unrest in Ferguson, Missouri and in Baltimore due to alleged police misconduct resulting to deaths of black men brought light on the impoverished conditions in urban counties in America (Lemons). This brings questions to the effectiveness of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in devising more fair-housing facilities (Jost). Thus, we need a new housing policy that will address not only the discriminate housing problem, but also urban poverty in general. Issue History The Civil Rights Act of 1964 eliminated the Jim-Crow …show more content…
Maintain status quo. According to a survey of mayors, most of them expressed desire for higher housing values. For them, the ideal neighborhood is “older areas that have maintained housing values.” In light with economic imperatives and logic, mayors need to prioritize economic growth. Hence, they tend to view wealthier areas as model or ideal neighborhoods. Thus, it is unlikely for them to implement policies that would create highly-black neighborhood because of poverty and negative effects associated to concentrated poverty (Einstein and Glick 889). This scenario calls to maintain the status quo. Political Constraints and Limitations: The main political constraint and limitation of this policy is that the current status quo also provides burden to the federal budget. The government had to subsidize housing projects using taxpayer’s money. Thus, maintaining status quo is inefficient and against the Constitutional right of all Americans to have better housing facilities. 2. Intensify enforcement of the housing