Stable housing is foundational for all other outcomes of success. In addition to providing basic shelter, housing that is safe, stable, and affordable creates the foundation for improved physical and mental health, increased access to education and employment opportunities, and greater financial stability.

In Minnesota, it is estimated that, as of 2023, we are over 100,000 housing units (rental and owned) short for those on the lower-income of the economic spectrum. This shortage grows year-after-year and is the major contributing factor to sky-rocketing housing values. (For more information, check out this link)

Put simply, housing matters. It matters just like healthcare matters. It matters like clean water matters. It matters like healthy food.

In the early half of the 20th Century, Real Estate, as an industry (reference Article 34 in the glossary), and some individual Realtors actively participated in policies and business practices that excluded individuals and families from certain neighborhoods, based exclusively on the color of their skin. Racially restrictive covenants, blockbusting, steering, and redlining all contributed to ensuring that neighborhoods were largely segregated based on skin color. These policies were created, enforced, or at best ignored, at every level of government and by private citizens and real estate developers alike. In 1968 The Fair Housing Act was passed and explicitly denounced these practices in all 50 states, making them illegal and establishing oversight with hefty fines for violations. Prior to 1968, as the suburbs were developing and since, Cities passed exclusionary zoning ordinances — larger lot sizes and larger house sizes — making these areas and homes financially out of reach for many. This has had the effect of excluding entire segments of the population from these high-opportunity areas. In addition, the building of the interstate system wiped out entire neighborhoods, displacing its residents. Cities often chose historically black/brown neighborhoods to be the location of the interstates, compensating them pennies on the dollar of the market value of their homes. All of this taken together, has had the very real effect of excluding generations of families from homeownership. In our country, owning one’s home is a primary vehicle for wealth-building. The disparities in homeownership and wealth-building between whites and people of color persist today. In Minnesota, these disparities are ranked as one of the worst in the nation. Paradoxically, Minnesota is cited as having one of the highest rates of overall homeownership in the country. Across the state, 76 percent of white families own homes. That drops to 41 percent for families of color, and just 23 percent for black families². The legacy of racial discrimination in homeownership is real, but it is not hopeless. We can impact change, moving towards a future where homeownership is attainable for all wishing to achieve it.

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 above. 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. How can you be a part of the solution moving forward?

• Everyone:
• 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.
• As a Home Owner:
• Check out Just Deeds- does your home have a racially restrictive covenant in the deed? If you find that your property does have one, consider having it removed.
• As a Home Seller:
• Are you willing to consider selling your home to a Community Land Trust (CLT)?
• Are you willing to give priority to a first-time homebuyer? Or a first-generation homebuyer? Or a buyer that is using MN Housing funds? Consider making these priorities transparent in your marketing. Talk to your Realtor for more detailed information.
• As a Home Buyer:
• Consult with MN Homeownership Center. Take a HomeStretch Class - learn all that is involved in becoming a homeowner, and maintaining your home.
• Maybe you want to look at purchasing a Community Land Trust (CLT) home - there are many benefits, including CLT homes being more affordable.
• Consider looking 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.