The United States enacted the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination towards people of color in transportation, public spaces and housing. Even though legislation was implemented, discriminatory practices in housing, such as redlining and racial restrictive covenants, led to many Black Americans struggling to access homeownership.
To this day, 26% of Black Seattle residents own homes compared to 51% of their white counterparts. The Black Home Initiative is taking steps to close the equity gap in homeownership in South Seattle, South King County and North Pierce Counties.
The goal of the Black Home Initiative (BHI) is to create opportunities for 1500 low and moderate-income households within the next five years. BHI focuses on three key areas: growing the pool of homes available for purchase, supporting Black households who want to buy a home and obtain a mortgage, as well as improving the collaboration among public, private and nonprofit organizations to create a more efficient and effective “ecosystem” for Black homeownership.
BHI has also implemented a Seven Point plan as a demonstration pilot in its service area. These seven focus areas include marketing and outreach, pre-/post-purchase counseling, purchase supports and tools, credit and lending, policies and practices, and sustaining existing homeowners.
PSRC is collaborating with BHI to achieve our goal of an equitable region within the region. To learn more about the Black Home Initiative and the available resources, check out their website.