Advancing Racial Equity within Federal Housing Policy

Amy Khare
Case Western Reserve University

Given the historic movements to redress the government’s role in perpetuating racial inequality, HUD’s Learning Agenda for Fiscal Years 2022–26 invites us to collectively reflect on the role of race, racism, and racial equity in federal housing policy. Without a doubt, the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to building an inclusive urban recovery that drives resources to disinvested neighborhoods through equitable development. Along with other federal agencies, HUD leaders are charged with implementing Executive Order 13985, which instructs federal agencies to pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity and support for underserved communities. In this short essay, I invite us to consider how federal housing policy can advance racial equity in ways that has catalytic impacts for years to come.