Statement from Lisa Rice, Executive Vice President of the National Fair Housing Alliance on the Confirmation of Dr. Ben Carson as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

WASHINGTON, March 2, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Fair Housing Alliance strongly urges Dr. Ben Carson, in his new role as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, to tackle immediately the many critical housing challenges that our country faces. Many of these are a legacy of the financial and foreclosure crises which disproportionately impacted America's communities of color. These communities have yet to recover. Housing inequality has had a devastating effect on individuals, communities and businesses and HUD plays a pivotal role in eliminating this inequality. The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) and its members across the country invite Secretary Carson to work with us to address these pressing issues.

Housing discrimination continues to be a significant problem in this country, unfairly limiting people's choices about where to live. NFHA estimates that more than 4 million instances of housing discrimination occur annually. In addition, in recent months we have seen a disturbing uptick in hate activity, including the targeted vandalism of people's homes because of race, national origin and religious affiliation. These acts violate the Fair Housing Act, which HUD enforces, and we look to Secretary Carson to marshal the resources of the department he leads to combat this problem, and to fight all forms of housing discrimination. During his confirmation hearing, Secretary Carson said he would "aggressively enforce the Fair Housing Act," and referred to the law as, "one of the best pieces of legislation which we've had."

Life expectancy, educational attainment, chances of being incarcerated, access to quality healthcare, household income, exposure to violence and employment opportunities are all impacted by where we live, as is our opportunity to accumulate wealth through homeownership. In the aftermath of the foreclosure crisis, the homeownership rate for African Americans is the lowest it has been since 1970, fueling the country's significant racial wealth gap. This should not be the case. We will continue our collaboration with HUD to ensure that every place is a place full of opportunities. Our children deserve no less. Our nation's continued strength and prosperity hinges on getting this right. We have no time to waste.

NFHA's goal is to eliminate housing inequality and expand housing opportunities and we are ready to work immediately with the new Administration on key priorities to expand housing choices.

To read NFHA's more detailed statement on Secretary Carson's confirmation and learn more about NFHA's strategies to combat housing inequality and expand fair housing opportunities, click here.

Founded in 1988, the National Fair Housing Alliance is a consortium of more than 220 private, nonprofit fair housing organizations, state and local civil rights agencies, and individuals from throughout the United States. Through comprehensive education, advocacy, and enforcement programs, NFHA provides equal access to apartments, houses, mortgage loans, and insurance policies for all residents in the nation.

SOURCE National Fair Housing Alliance

Related Links

http://www.nationalfairhousing.org