King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles has recently initiated a motion, urging King County Executive Dow Constantine to provide recommendations for addressing the historical injustices resulting from race-based restrictive real estate practices, commonly known as redlining.
Expanding upon a previous comprehensive report that examined the consequences of historic redlining on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities throughout King County, Kohl-Welles aims to explore ways to make amends for the damage inflicted by redlining and other systemic racist policies and practices.
The report revealed that redlining and restrictive covenants had prevented BIPOC residents from accumulating wealth and assets through homeownership. It estimated that due to these discriminatory real estate practices, BIPOC residents in King County had lost intergenerational wealth ranging from $12 billion to $34 billion. The report had specifically investigated the possibility of an exemption from the County’s wastewater capacity charge as a form of restitution for those affected by racial deed restrictions. However, this exemption was not recommended due to federal and state legal constraints.
According to Kohl-Welles, the county must find ways to compensate individuals for the harm that has been inflicted. She stated, “The report from earlier this year quantified the impact of an issue that has shaped the very way that our county developed. If we know that the wastewater exemption is not an avenue for restitution, this new motion asks the question, ‘Well, what could we do?’ That’s the question to which our BIPOC communities deserve an answer.”
Several potential remedies are being explored by other local jurisdictions, including direct cash payments, startup capital, education assistance, job training, land return, and housing assistance.
“In local government, there are always a million competing priorities, and the next several years will be no different with the revenue shortfall and budget cuts that have been projected,” Kohl-Welles noted. “This report will ensure that we have potential strategies to chart a more equitable and restorative future. And, in the meantime, I hope that keeping this work at the forefront will minimize harm to communities that have been underinvested in for decades.”
The Black Home Initiative (BHI), a collaborative network consisting of nonprofits, private companies, philanthropic organizations, governments, and associations dedicated to increasing Black homeownership, supports this initiative as a means to create a brighter future. BHI stated, “The Black Home Initiative is supportive of efforts that aim to undo the harm created in communities because of racially restrictive housing covenants. We support this legislation as a mechanism to build a better tomorrow for everyone.”
Addressing the harms inflicted by institutional racism in all aspects of American life, public institutions such as the King County Council have a duty to rectify the injustices caused by racist policies.
“When government policies create an uneven playing field that harms particular communities, it is incumbent upon public institutions to redress the wrongs their policies have wrought,” said Regina Malveaux, Chief Impact Officer of United Way of King County. “These communities have historically been singled out by government legitimization of restrictive real estate covenants. Redlining suppressed the ability of communities of color, particularly Black communities, to accumulate wealth through the biggest engine of family wealth creation in our economy—homeownership.”
“Without access to wealth, families of color are much more vulnerable to the economic downturns we all face from time to time. Making budget reductions with an eye toward the impacts of cuts on communities of color is an entirely appropriate redress of this historical wrong,” Malveaux continued.
Andrea Caupain Sanderson, former CEO of Byrd Barr Place and a BHI Core Team member, supports the motion and believes that ongoing dialogue will lead to real solutions for those affected.
“I support the spirit of this motion, as in the realm of change,” said Sanderson. “Symbolism carries the power to ignite the spark of transformation. For even in the face of obstruction, it plants the seed of possibility, reminding us that the pursuit of justice and progress is a journey that demands courage and determination.”
Nicole R. Bascomb-Green, President of Western Washington Realist and Owner/Designated Broker of Bascomb Real Estate Group, also a BHI Core Team Member, is committed to seeing this work come to fruition.
“It is not incumbent on or possible for one group to carry this work,” Bascomb-Green emphasized. “To combat the centuries of discrimination against the Black community, it will take a network of committed individuals to drive the work to achieve the outcomes we aspire to see.”