The COVID pandemic has highlighted just how much our entire housing system is dependent on rent—rent that many people couldn’t afford even before the pandemic. But a housing justice movement has also gained ground. We’ve seen a national movement arise—and unprecedented housing policy breakthroughs.

For this webinar, recorded July 1, 2020, NPQ partnered with Shelterforce—a nonprofit publication that has been following the housing justice movement for over 40 years—to explore the state of housing justice in the US and highlight present-day stories.

Our panelists are:

  • Miriam Axel-Lute, editor of Shelterforce and a regular writer and analyst of housing justice and community development issues for over two decades
  • Andreanecia Morris, executive director for HousingNOLA, a 10-year partnership between community leaders, and dozens of public, private, and nonprofit groups, implementing a strategic plan designed to reduce housing insecurity in New Orleans
  • Amina Kirk, senior legal and policy analyst & organizer at Detroit People’s Platform, who focuses in her work on supporting affordable housing, equitable development, and housing justice in Detroit, Michigan

This webinar explores:

  • What does it mean to “cancel rent”?
  • Rent strikes and other forms of housing activism
  • The impact of structural racism on housing opportunity and housing markets
  • How to use CARES dollars to protect tenants in your hometown
  • Federal, state, and local policy struggles for rent relief
  • Policy innovations for housing justice that have emerged during the pandemic
  • How community-based groups are addressing housing challenges today

Additional Resources