Ahead of tomorrow’s hearing “Separate and Unequal: The Legacy of Racial Discrimination in Housing,” NETWORK Lobby expresses its gratitude to Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs for holding this important hearing on the intersection of systemic racism and housing. Having access to safe, stable, affordable housing improves physical and mental health, and honors the dignity of every person. Despite this sacred truth, racism in our housing system has barred Black and brown individuals and families from securing quality housing at an affordable cost for centuries.

We must name and dismantle racism in our society and our economy in order to advance the common good. Tomorrow’s hearing plays an important role in that. As we move forward together, it is critical that President Biden’s infrastructure plan affirms that housing is a human right and seeks to ensure that every person and family in the United States is housed. As Pope Francis said in 2015, “We can find no social or moral justification, no justification whatsoever, for lack of housing.”

At NETWORK, we are working to realize our vision of a just and inclusive society where all can thrive, including especially those who are most often left out: women, people of color, people on the economic margins, and those at the intersections of these identities. We look forward to continuing to work with Senator Sherrod Brown and other Senators to build our nation anew through our federal policies.