Forty years ago, Congress passed Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (the “Fair Housing Act”), which prohibits discrimination in public and private housing markets that is based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, or familial status. The Act requires communities and the federal government to proactively further fair housing residential integration, and equal opportunity goals; however, equal opportunity in housing remains a major challenge, with collateral impact far beyond four walls and a roof.

A summary of the disparate impact of sub-prime mortgage lending on African Americans

Through the ARRA, an unprecedented volume of resources will be dispensed. The variety of government levels, agencies, and programs through which funds will be channeled, and the range of economic need throughout the country all represent the exceptional challenge of allocating the Recovery Act money. These precious resources must be clearly useful, have impact, and demonstrate to the public that government action can result in public good. To build public trust and community level ownership, steps must be taken to ensure transparent and accountable allocation of the Recovery Act’s resources. To be effective, the investments must be targeted and clearly address structural equity issues.

For the last six years, DCP, a faith-based organization serving Greater Roseland, has conducted its most far-reaching community organizing effort: the CTA Red Line Extension Campaign. This campaign addresses a 38-year history of neglect by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) to extend CTA's Red Line to Chicago's far south side city limits, the most job inaccessible area of Chicago.