Moving forward: 3 ways to combat the Twin Cities’ legacy of housing discrimination

All major metropolitan cities in the United States have some degree of neighborhood racial segregation. The Twin Cities area, however, has the dubious distinction of consistently being ranked as one of the most racially segregated regions in the US. 

There are many reasons for this, some of which are outlined HERE. In the past several years, there has been more attention paid to this with more organizations and individuals stepping up and working tirelessly to redress the inequities in housing. 

There is reason for optimism, as the Twin Cities is the land of 10,000 non-profits and many are working hard for systemic change. There are countless ways to get involved in the solution, whether you are a Homeownership Professional or a private citizen.

Knowledge is power. Understanding key. Whether you are a seller or a buyer, you can you be a part of the solution moving forward.

Educate

• Does your home have a racially restrictive covenant in the deed? You can check out Just Deeds to find out if your property does have one. If so, you can have it removed. 
• Consult with MN Homeownership Center. Take a HomeStretch Class - learn all that is involved in becoming a homeowner, and maintaining your home.

Here are some more resources:

• REALTORS® are tackling supply and affordability challenges to bring down barriers for would-be home buyers
• Public-private alliance pushes to close racial gap in Minnesota homeownership
• Why can't we stop homelessness? 4 reasons why there's no end in sight
• The War on Poverty Is Over. Rich People Won.
• 'TenDashFive' Instagram account declares war on agent hate speech
• Is it OK to use the word ‘homeless’ – or should you say ‘unhoused’?
• How Montana performed a housing miracle

Advocate

Advocate for more housing, of all types, and in all areas. According to the Homeownership Alliance, there are 61,000 households of color in Minnesota who are in a position to buy a home, but for a variety of reasons don’t. 

What if all of these households were ready to buy a home today? Given the housing crisis, especially in the starter home range, there would be very few options for these households. We are in a housing crisis and we all need to advocate, at a grassroots level, for more housing, of all types, and in all areas. 

Talk to your elected officials; send them emails; make phone calls. If you would like to join an advocacy group already doing good work in our area, check out TC YIMBY, Sustain St. Paul, or Neighbors for More Neighbors.

Act

There are so many ways we can all take action. Here are a few:

• Sell your home to a Community Land Trust (CLT) or purchase a CLT home;
• Give priority to a first-time homebuyer or first-generation homebuyer;
• Give priority to a buyer that is using MN Housing funds;
• Make these priorities transparent in your marketing.

Finally, when searching for a home, look in all neighborhoods in Saint Paul and Minneapolis. You don’t know the trade-offs you are willing to make until you come upon them. Don’t short yourself–the home you dream of may be waiting for you in a neighborhood you don’t know about OR you don’t think you want to live in.

Reach out to us at hello@therecollab.com or call +1 651-412-3765. We are here to make your home purchase or sale a transparent and successful experience.

REC. Real Estate. Radically Reimagined.

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REC is different. We connect real estate and housing justice–and we do both well. Our story is about the possibility that emerges when these come together, but each piece can also stand alone. REC is real estate reimagined.