McGee Holds Press Conference On Racial Equity And Fair Housing

Press release from CGA:

April 19, 2021

Chair of the Housing Committee Representative Brandon McGee (D-Windsor/Hartford) held a press conference regarding racial equity and fairness in housing with Representative Geraldo Reyes (D-Waterbury), Chair of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, Melissa Marichal, advocate from CT Fair Housing, Justin Farmer, Hampden Legislative Councilman, and Stephen Poland, advocate from Central Connecticut Democratic Socialists of America.

Connecticut’s three largest metropolitan areas are among the top 70 most segregated areas in the country.The pandemic has only exacerbated housing inequity in Connecticut as the housing market has become increasingly competitive, while many individuals in underserved communities are struggling to pay rent.

The Housing Committee is working to pass several bills addressing inequity this session.
• HB 6531: Right to Counsel In Eviction Proceedings
• HB 6430: Housing Authority Jurisdiction
• HB 6528: Sealing of Eviction Records
• HB 6431: Housing Opportunities For Justice Impacted Persons
• SB 194: Right To Housing

“We must not exit the current housing crisis retaining the same broken systems with which we entered it,” says Rep. McGee. “It is more important now, than ever before, that we act to address inequity with systemic solutions such as policy that supports racial justice. We need legislation that will not only address the fallout of the COVID crisis, but remain in place for the next unforeseen crisis. Right now, we have the singular opportunity to prioritize racial justice and forge a more equitable economy for the post-pandemic world. We’re not trying to put an end to evictions, we’re trying to create a fair process.”

“Communities of color in Connecticut face disparate outcomes in health, education, and other services – and we are seeing these divides exacerbated by COVID-19,” Rep. Reyes says. “Zoning reform and access to housing are integral to expanding equity and opportunity in these communities and across the state.”

“Now, more than ever, it is crystal clear that safe, healthy, and stable housing is a fundamental basic need. The quality and stability of your housing impacts every aspect of your life and the lives of your children. Yet despite its importance, for far too many, the barriers to safe, stable housing remain great. But this session, in the second year of this pandemic, the General Assembly has a historic opportunity to pass legislation that would combat racial inequities in housing and create lasting change,” says MelissaMarichal, staff attorney of CT Fair Housing. “No tenant should have to face a court proceeding in which they could lose their home and so much more without the counsel of an attorney. Establishing a right to counsel for tenants facing eviction who cannot afford a lawyer is a crucial step forward in addressing Connecticut’s eviction crisis, advancing racial justice, and investing in a more equitable future.”

“Everything begins with the fact that over 93% of tenants do not have legal counsel when facing the loss of their homes through eviction, and this is already a population that is disproportionately Black women and women of color, who then face long-term housing instability due to the multi-billion dollar eviction records trade,” says Stephen Poland, advocate from Central Connecticut Democratic Socialists of America. “We cannot possibly claim to live in an equitable, democratic society when we continue to prop up the systemic racism of the status quo, value private property over human lives and communities, and look for simple short-term fixes rather than real structural change. This set of bills presents a singular opportunity right now to prioritize racial equity in housing in a way that will not only address the unequal fallout of the COVID crisis, but also the housing crisis that pre-existed the pandemic.

“If we are going to continue living up to our state motto “Qui Transtulit Sustinet” [He(those) Who Transplanted Still Sustains], then we need to provide everyone in our state the opportunity to secure housing. Right to counsel is a step in the right direction, but without a serious effort of regional affordable housing, the next generation won't be able to sustain,” says Councilman Farmer.

To hear to the conversation, please listen via CT-N here: https://ct-n.com/ctnplayer.asp?odID=18506.

This press release was produced by CGA. The views expressed here are the author's own.