DE-DESIGNING SEGREGATION: HARTFORD COUNTY PART II: SOLUTIONS – FRAMING & STATE-LEVEL SOLUTIONS
Erin Boggs, Esq. February 9, 2021
LEGACY OF SEGREGATION ¡ Impact of government-sponsored segregation clear in statistics on racial disparities. ¡ But when thinking about solutions, we have to consider the direct results of the histor y of segregation in terms of race and place: § A lack of choices for families needing affordable housing. § Disproportionately Black and Latino. § Higher resources areas have been off limits.
§ Systemic disinvestment in areas that have historically been communities of color. § Often creating pockets of poverty concentration. § At risk of further disinvestment or displacement and gentrifying pressures. 2
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Federal Solutions
State-Level Solutions
Town-Level Solutions
•Data collection and goal setting.
•Data collection and goals.
•Data collection and goals.
•Investments.
•Advocacy.
•Organizing.
•Incentives to promote meaningful integration and re-investment.
•Directing state resources determining the location of subsidized housing.
•Planning and Zoning.
•Reimagining of federal programs affecting race and place.
MENU OF SOLUTIONS Solving Segregation
•School policy.
•Statewide zoning policy. •Other state policies that embed systems of segregation.
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DATA AND GOAL SETTING ¡ A picture is worth a 1000 words. ¡ The more we can use data to demonstrate how government policies are continuing segregation the better. ¡ When we identify problems, then push for a set of goals to address them.
Government subsidized housing investments in the Hartford region 4
HOUSING AUTHORIT Y JURISDICTION ¡ CGS Sec. 8-40 – A town can establish a housing authority if it can show: (1) that insanitar y or unsafe inhabited dwelling accommodations exist in the municipality or (2) that there is a shor tage of safe or sanitar y dwelling accommodations in the municipality available to families of low income at rentals they can af ford or (3) that there is a shor tage of safe or sanitar y dwelling accommodations in the municipality available to families of moderate income at rentals they can af ford. BUT – Where can housing authorities operate? “The area of operation of such authority shall include the municipalities for which such authority is created.” 5
HOUSING AUTHORITIES AND HOUSING VOUCHERS
78% of voucher holders are Black or Latino
Almost 70% of voucher holders are living in lower opportunity areas
43% of voucher households are female headed
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LAYERS OF BARRIERS Several factors contribute to where voucher holder live: -
Where affordable housing is located (something housing authorities can help with).
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Value of the voucher.
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Information voucher holders have about neighborhoods.
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Housing authority requirements that a voucher holder must live in their town for the first year.
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Red tape and moving costs after the first year.
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Typically, the housing authority loses $ if a family leaves town.
BUT – if housing authorities could operate across town lines it would help address most of these.
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REVERSING EXCLUSIONARY ZONING ¡Importance of data. ¡Woodbridge example. ¡Proactive measures are critical. = Fair share zoning
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HOW FAIR SHARE WORKS (SIMPLIFIED!) ¡ Need for affordable housing determined by the court with input from affordable housing and civil rights advocates and the state. ¡ The need is allocated to towns according to a formula approved by the court. ¡ Towns must develop a plan that will allow them to meet their fair share obligation over 10 years. These plans are typically very specific with particular parcels of land and developers identified.
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HOW FAIR SHARE WORKS (SIMPLIFIED!) ¡ N o te : To w n s g et to d e c i d e h o w to c r e a te a r e a l i s t i c o p p o r t u n i t y f o r r e a c h i n g t h e i r f a i r s h a r e a n d h ave t h e o p p o r t u n i t y to c h a l l e n g e t h e i r f a i r s h a r e a l l o c a t i o n . ¡ A f a i l u r e to c r e a te a c o u r t - a p p rov e d p l a n o r a p p ro p r i a te l y m o d i f y a n ex i s t i n g p l a n p u t s a tow n a t r i s k o f e i t h e r ( 1 ) b e i n g c h a l l e n g e d by a wa t c h d o g n o n - p ro fi t o r ( 2 ) h av i n g a d ev e l o p e r b u y a p i e c e o f l a n d a n d n e e d i n g o n l y a p p rova l f ro m a c o u r t , a n d n ot t h e tow n , to b u i l d . ( 8 - 3 0 g r e q u i r e s n o p l a n a n d r e q u i r e s d ev e l o p e r s to g o t h ro u g h a n o f te n - p ro l o n g e d z o n i n g p ro c e s s . ) ¡ I n N J , tow n s h av e a n o b l i g a t i o n to p rov i d e h o u s i n g a c ro s s a s p e c t r u m o f i n c o m e s , n ot j u s t a t t h e v e r y l ow e s t i n c o m e s . ¡ N e w J e r s ey tow n s t y p i c a l l y r e a c h t h e i r f a i r s h a r e t h ro u g h : § Inclusionary zoning (considering very local market factors) § Federal and state housing subsidies
¡ N J i s o n t r a c k to c r e a te 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 u n i t s o f a f fo r d a b l e h o u s i n g 10
FAIR SHARE REGIONS = Council of Government Regions
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FAIR SHARE ALLOCATIONS To a l l o c a te t h e regional need to e a c h tow n , we consider fo u r f a c to r s :
¡ Income, ¡ We a l t h , ¡ Multifamily Housing, and ¡ Pov e r t y E a c h f a c to r t r a c k s b a c k to CGS Sec. 8-2 or sound planning principles.
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FAIR SHARE STATEWIDE
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Erin Boggs, Esq., Executive Director Open Communities Alliance 75 Charter Oak Avenue, Suite 1-210 Hartford, CT 06106 Tel. 860.610-6040 eboggs@ctoca.org Check us out and join the coalition at: http://www.ctoca.org 14