Wednesday, May 19, 2021
10 - 11 am PT / 1 - 2 pm ET

The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed a housing system that is failing millions of low-income people and people of color. Over 5 million renters struggle to pay rent due to loss of income from the pandemic, or because their regular income can’t cover ever-increasing rent costs. Small property owners who control much of the lower-rent buildings in cities may not be able to weather extended periods of reduced rental income. At the same time, a number of Wall Street firms have already created special acquisition funds to buy up buildings in financial distress. This crisis has created a new urgency for cities to protect their housing stock through equitable housing acquisition strategies. At the same time, the potential of significant, new federal funding for affordable housing, along with a growing tenant movement for community ownership of land and housing, have created an unprecedented opportunity for an equitable recovery — but only if communities are ready with the local capacity, policies, and financial tools to move quickly to acquire buildings.

This webinar will provide local policymakers, housing justice advocates, and tenant organizers critical tools and information from PolicyLink’s latest report “Our Homes, Our Communities: How Housing Acquisition Strategies Can Create Affordable Housing, Stabilize Neighborhoods, and Prevent Displacement.” Participants will hear from local leaders about successful campaigns and models to create equitable housing outcomes for residents by moving privately-owned rental housing into tenant or non-profit ownership to avoid speculation, promote community control, and create permanently affordable housing.

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