Day 3: Housing Justice

| CHALLENGE | DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3 | DAY 4 | DAY 5 | DAY 6 | DAY 7 | DAY 8 | DAY 9 | DAY 10 |

Access to Housing

Although overt discrimination in the housing market is no longer legal, there are still systemic barriers that prevent marginalized people from building wealth through homeownership or achieving housing stability through the rental market. Disparities in the appraisals of homes owned by people of color, racial disparities in evictions, and the refusal of landlords to rent to people with housing choice vouchers all work to ensure that communities remain segregated in the same way as when redlining was still legal.

Access to housing in Spokane, like in many other cities, is hindered by several significant barriers that affect both renters and potential homebuyers. Between 2012 and 2018, the median household income increased 21.2%, while from 2010 to 2020, the median home price increased by 47%, from $174,000 to $256,000. Between 2010 and 2020, Washington State grew by over 931,000 people, with an influx of over 500,000 people from out of state. In that time, Spokane’s population increased by over 7%, which keeps Spokane as the state’s second largest city.

One of the most significant barriers is the rising cost of housing in Spokane. The city has experienced increased demand for housing, which has driven up rents and home prices. This puts affordable housing out of reach for many residents, especially low-income individuals and families. Spokane also faces a shortage of affordable options; existing affordable housing units are often in high demand with long waiting lists, making it difficult for individuals and families with limited incomes to secure stable housing.

Many residents do not earn enough to afford the increasing housing costs, leading to a high rate of cost-burdened households. This means that a substantial portion of their income goes toward housing expenses, leaving little for other essentials. Spokane, like many urban areas, grapples with homelessness. Homelessness becomes both a barrier to accessing stable housing and a result of these barriers.

Zoning regulations and land use policies can restrict the development of affordable housing options in certain areas, limiting housing choices for residents. This can lead to residential segregation and disparities in access to amenities and services.

Redlining

Because wealth has been systemically stripped from communities of color, Black and Indigenous people in particular are more likely to experience homelessness because their networks are less likely to have the resources to support them if they face unemployment, intimate partner violence (IPV), a medical emergency, or another financially destabilizing crisis.

The practice of redlining, the systematic denial of services such as mortgages, insurance loans, and other financial services to residents of certain areas, was used to segregate communities based on race or ethnicity and was not outlawed until 1968. Violence was also routinely used to disrupt thriving Black communities as well as retaliate against Black families who moved into white neighborhoods. Redlining prevented African Americans in particular from building generational wealth through home ownership and ensured that neighborhoods would remain segregated even today.

Addressing these barriers to housing access in Spokane requires a multi-faceted approach that includes policies to increase affordable housing stock, improve tenant protections, combat discrimination, and provide supportive services to those in need. Collaboration between our government agencies, non-profit organizations, and the private sector is essential to making housing more accessible and equitable in the city.

Learn more about Spokane’s history of redlining here.

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IF YOU HAVE…

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5 Minutes	and	10 Minutes	and	30 Minutes
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CHECK OUT THIS ARTICLE about the series of bills Washington lawmakers passed to reform housing regulations & boost housing supply for renters & homebuyers.	and	CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO about wealth inequality in the US, highlighting the difference between our perception of inequality & actual numbers.	and	CHECK OUT THIS PODCAST about the growing issue in Yakima in Central Washington & the efforts to build permanent supportive housing.

 

Additional resources:

YWCA USA Housing Justice Report

Glossary

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REFLECT

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Take a moment to reflect today’s challenge and any insights you experienced.

• Download and complete the full Racial Justice Challenge Reflection template here.
  • Questions to consider:
    • What feelings or emotions did I notice while completing today’s challenge?
    • What did I learn? (This could be a new concept, idea, or word.)
    • Why is this topic/subject important?
    • What behaviors and beliefs do I want to let go of?
• Consider sharing any parts of this challenge with a friend or group to help deepen your understanding of the information.
• Join us Friday, 9/22 at noon via Zoom for a Week 1 debrief session.

  Meeting link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84927226372?pwd=MFV6dDgrOTVGSFhGYm9UWWZ5UWFHZz09

  Meeting ID: 849 2722 6372

  Passcode: letmein

• Continue the conversation online and connect with others by joining our Racial & Social Justice Facebook group.

Just joining the Racial Justice Challenge? Register and find the previous days here.

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Sources:

_{Spokane City. (March 10, 2022). “Big Trends Squeezing Spokane’s Housing Supply.” Spokane City Website. https://my.spokanecity.org/news/stories/2022/03/10/big-trends-squeezing-spokanes-housing-supply/}

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Racial Equity work is consistently underfunded. Make a powerful statement in the fight for racial and social justice. Your contribution directly supports initiatives that promote equality, combat discrimination, and empower individuals and communities. Together, we can create a more inclusive and just world for all. Join us in making a difference today!

SUPPORT THIS WORK

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Special thanks to our mission partners

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If you would like to learn more about partnering with YWCA Spokane in support of this Racial Justice Challenge, please contact Erica Schreiber, Director of Community Engagement via email ericas@ywcaspokane.org or via phone at 509-789-8275.

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| CHALLENGE | DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3 | DAY 4 | DAY 5 | DAY 6 | DAY 7 | DAY 8 | DAY 9 | DAY 10 |