Introduction
Housing Subcommittee Chair – Scherron Richard , MBA
It has been my honor and privilege to serve the City of Arlington as the Chair of the Unity Council ’ s Subcommittee on Housing . My fellow committee members and I devoted countless hours meeting with , and hearing from experts in the housing field , reviewing reports , and conferring with one another to develop a set of recommendations to make Arlington a more equitable city . Our subcommittee ’ s diversity included representation from various ages , races , political ideologies , educational backgrounds , and occupations . Despite holding contrasting viewpoints , we were able to work together , and managed to develop camaraderie . There were many spirited debates and our recommendations are better because of them . Our final work product is one that contains contributions from , and has the support of , each of our committee members .
We began this process by researching the national history of housing discrimination to gain a better grasp of present-day issues . We learned about de jure segregation , which includes segregated public housing , redlining , blockbusting , FHA subsidized housing that precluded Blacks , and urban renewal that placed infrastructure in the middle of Black and Brown neighborhoods . Arlington is the 11 th most diverse city in the United States . However , that diversity is not reflected uniformly in neighborhoods . We learned that Arlington ’ s first comprehensive plan was formulated in 1952 , and there was a suggestion to develop a new residential subdivision in Southeast Arlington for African Americans as a means of providing more suitable housing as opposed to the historical “ Hill ” neighborhood they inhabited at the time . It is quite interesting that Southeast Arlington continues to be primarily populated by African Americans and is the least segregated area of the city . The White share of Arlington ’ s population decreased by nearly twenty percent from 2000 – 2018 . This phenomenon is known as “ White flight .”
There is a misconception that low-income housing or tax credit properties decrease the value of nearby homes or increase the crime rate . Mixed-income neighborhoods are one way to increase diversity . One obstacle is NIMBYism ( not in my back yard ), although education can be used to combat this sentiment . Addressing the housing inequities that exist needs to be a collaborative effort that is done through an equity lens with a focus on unintended consequences such as displacement . Displacement is when existing residents are essentially forced out due to affordability and / or cultural changes brought on by revitalization . As tools and solutions are being implemented there needs to be a focus not only on income level but also on an individual ’ s wealth code , which factors in debt . Arlington is a growing city , and there is a need for housing that is affordable and accessible for low- and moderate-income levels .
In closing , the inequity that exists in Arlington is not as bad as in other cities , yet there is still work that must be done . Moreover , our recommendations are the first step in the quest to ensure that ALL of Arlington is a good place to live . It is our sincere hope to receive buy-in from our community in this collaborative effort .
Unity Council Report 59