History to Present Day: Race and Housing in Ann Arbor

As the 8th most economically segregated city in the nation, with a poverty rate that is twice the national average, unsurprisingly Ann Arbor is experiencing a housing crisis. Often not discussed is the fact that economic segregation heavily mirrors racial segregation, and like every other city in the nation, Ann Arbor has a dark history of racially discriminatory housing practices. Today, our once substantial Black community has been driven down to only 5% of our population, and now some of Ann Arbor's once historically Black neighborhoods are being sold as the hottest real estate in town. How did we get here? And where did our Black community - who helped to build this town - go? What kind of housing policies, practices, and initiatives can we undertake today to address the mistakes of our past so we call back in our Black community and begin to heal? Join this virtual discussion exploring the history of discriminatory housing policies and practices, their impact on our local housing, and the urgency of now. This session will be co-facilitated by Jess Letaw, community organizer and policy advocate for housing and affordability, and a board member of Ann Arbor's Downtown Development Authority and co-host of the Ann Arbor AF podcast. Panelists include Chair of Department of Afroamerican and African Studies, Prof. Matthew Countryman, among others TBA.

Event Recording