ToolKit: How housing can shrink the racial wealth gap

Angela Davis hosted “In Focus: How housing can shrink the racial wealth gap,” a virtual discussion that tackles the racial wealth gap in Minnesota with panelists from across the state.

Kim Smith-Moore, senior director of homeownership programs at MN Homeownership Center, LeAnn Littlewolf, economic development director at American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO) and Karla Benson Rutten, executive director of the Jeremiah Program’s St. Paul campus discussed building wealth, credit scores and nonpayment assistance programs.

Here are some resources to help you navigate the racial wealth gap and home ownership in Minnesota:

Research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

• Wages. Income and Wealth

• Inequality

• Housing

• Systemic racism haunts homeownership rates in Minnesota

Minnesota Homeownership Center

• Partner Resources

• Free Home Buying Help from Advisors

• Homeownership Workshops

American Indian Community Housing Organization

• Gimaajii-Mino-Bimaadizimin supportive housing

• Outreach Materials

Jeremiah Program

• Shifting the Written and Unwritten Rules Around Poverty and Economic Mobility

• If you're a single mother who needs help, apply here to become a Jeremiah Program Mom.

Other Resources:

• Equity in Place is a coalition that offers support for those facing housing insecurity.

• Learn more about the Minnesota Homeownership Center's program for non-interest bearing loans.

• The Racial Wealth Divide in Minneapolis, MN, a 2019 report from Prosperity Now.

• APM Research Lab: Perceptions and experiences of housing discrimination in Minnesota

• Minnesota Compass

• COVID learning loss in Minnesota schools: Five things you should know
• Ballot Box 101: How to get first-time voters to the polls 
• In Focus: How to make outdoor recreation welcoming for all