The year 2018 marked the 10th
anniversary of the 2008 housing crisis—an event described as the most
significant financial and economic upheaval since the Great Depression. The
year 2018 was also the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, which upended
many decades of overt housing discrimination. Both events remind us of the
significant role that housing has played in the American story—both for good
and for bad. Despite the many financial reforms that followed 2008, meaningful
housing reform remains elusive. None of the major candidates in the most recent
presidential election truly addressed the issue in their policy platforms, and
a lack of movement in resolving the Fannie/Freddie conservatorship is viewed as
a major Obama administration failure. Additionally, housing segregation and
access to affordable mortgage credit continues to plague the American economy. The program looks to explore these and related issues in
the age of Trump.
Business meeting at program conclusion.