Frequently Asked Questions - Columbia Housing Center

What is the goal of the Columbia Housing Center?

The goal of the Columbia Housing Center is to sustain Columbia's residential integration, so that all of

Columbia is attractive and welcoming to all ethnic, racial and religious groups.

Why is the Housing Center needed?

Now is the time - before more segregation patterns emerge - to work proactively to retain the diversity

and integration of our community.

Overall, Columbia remains a diverse and integrated community as compared to our region, which is highly

segregated. Of Columbia's census tracts, more than 2/3 reflect the region's overall balance of black, white,

Asian and Latino residents, white only 9 percent of the region's census tracts do. This is remarkable - in a

positive way.

However, a worrisome trend of pockets of racial segregation is emerging in our community. We know -

based on national experience -- that if an area is no longer seen as desirable by one or more racial groups,

that loss of demand leads to disinvestment, affecting home values and other measures of prosperity.

How will the Housing Center work?

The Columbia Housing Center will promote the core values of Columbia: inclusion and racial and ethnic

integration. It will also provide training and educational programming. And it will be a rental housing

locator service. While promoting racial integration, it will help landlords find tenants and tenants find

apartment homes.

• Property owners/managers list the available units with the housing center and the housing center

compiles information about the apartments rent, bedrooms, amenities and community assets.

• Housing center staff engages the apartment seeker about the center's mission of promoting racial

integration and lets clients know that the center recommends apartments that further that goal.

• Apartment seekers define their needs and get a tailored set of listings to help with their search.

A Typical Housing Search

Housing Seeker

Begins Search

Search is limited from

the outset by

misperceptions, racial

blind spots, and

stereotypes

Only certain portions

of Columbia are

considered and

pursued

A Search by a Housing Center Client

Housing Seeker Begins

Search is expanded by

Housing Center

communication and

encouragement with

housing seeker

All portions of Columbia

are considered and

pursued

What are the benefits?

• Diverse schools

• Stable, improved property values

Greater understanding across racial and ethnic groups

Stable, vibrant and inclusive communities

Has this been done anywhere else?

There's a model for a proactive strategy in Oak Park, Illinois (outside Chicago). That community was faced

with rapid racial change 50 years ago (about the same time Columbia was being founded), and they created

March 2018

a Housing Center to cultivate Oak Park as a stable, integrated community. It's been remarkably successful:

at least two-thirds of people who go to the Oak Park Housing Center end up making moves that improve

the integration of their community.

What about owner-occupied homes? Isn't it important for those to be integrated, too?

Yes, it certainly is. In Oak Park, the Housing Center works with local real estate agents to encourage

homebuyers to consider homes throughout their town and we want to do that in Columbia, too.The

Columbia Housing Center will initially focus on rental housing because it's easier to set up a central referral

service for rental homes/ and because renters move more often and can have a quicker impact on the

integration (or segregation) of a community.

How will the Columbia Housing Center address affordable housing?

Given historic racial disparities in wealth, affordable housing is an important component of racial

integration. In fact, agencies that distribute funds for affordable housing (like HUD, the State of Maryland,

and local jurisdictions and housing agencies) have a duty under the Fair Housing Act to operate their

programs in a way that counters historic racial segregation patterns.

The Columbia Housing Center will be designed to promote racial integration regardless of income and will

be a voice helping to ensure that local affordable housing policy supports the goal of a racially integrated

Columbia.

How can I get involved?

Broad support is crucial to sustaining a Columbia Housing Center. You can help with outreach to

constituencies and stakeholders to explain the need to retain and sustain Columbia as an integrated

community. You may have ideas for how to effectively develop relationships that will be helpful. Perhaps

you have expertise that will help the Columbia Housing Center get started (administrative, legal/ financial,

fundraising). You might even join a Board committee. To get involved in the Columbia Housing Center or to

learn more, contact: [email protected]. Tax deductible donations can be made through

the Community Foundation of Howard County at cfhoco.org/fund/cotumbiahousingcenter

Columbia Housing Center Board of Directors

Jane Dembner, President N. Gordon Knox, Secretary

Robert Turner, Vice President Jean Silver-Eisenstadt

Paige Getty, Treasurer

Columbia Housing Center Committee Members

Kelly Cimino, Howard County Housing Petra Montague

Carl Delorenzo, Howard County Office of the County Sam Paul, Howard County Housing Commission

Executive Dan Pontious, Baltimore Metropolitan Council

Maureen Harris, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Steven Sachs

Columbia Jacqueline Scott, Howard County Community Resources

Stacie Hunt, Leadership Howard County and Services

Kevin Kelehan, Carney, Kelehan, Bresler, Bennett & Kelli Shimabukoro, Howard County Library System

Scherr Sabina Taj, Braitmayer Foundation

Tim May Beverly White-Seals, Community Foundation of Howard

Daniel Medinger, Advertising Media Plus County

March 2018