Redlining to Homelessness: The Federal Legacy of Racism in US Real Estate | The Color of Law

This episode explores the deep roots of racism in real estate, connecting historic federal policies to today's housing and homelessness crises, particularly in the Bay Area (Oakland/Alameda County). We trace the systemic exclusion of communities of color—which led to the founding of organizations like NAREB (1947) and ARPB (1948)—back to the FHA's enforcement of segregation, redlining, and exclusionary zoning, as detailed in Richard Rothstein's The Color of Law. The segment then shifts to the current crisis: - Oakland Homelessness: The 2024 Point in Time count found 5,490 people experiencing homelessness in Oakland, a 9% increase from 2022. - Policy Threat: We examine the nomination of Scott Turner to lead HUD and the proposed Project 2025 policies, which call for cutting affordable housing funds and repealing anti-discrimination regulations, threatening to reverse progress made since the Rumford Fair Housing Act (1963). 📢 Join the Fight: Do you think local and national policies are doing enough to address the housing crisis? Comment below! Support the show