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Cincinnati Addresses Deep-Rooted Housing Inequities Through Landmark Settlement

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The Council’s actions were in response to city records which revealed that, by 2020, Cincinnati had granted 2,640 residential tax abatements totaling $183 million, with over $53 million directed to a predominantly white, affluent neighborhoods. In contrast, two majority-Black neighborhoods received less than $1 million in tax abatements between 2014 and 2018.
The post Cincinnati Addresses Deep-Rooted Housing Inequities Through Landmark Settlement first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Cincinnati officials have settled a federal lawsuit spanning four years, addressing allegations of racial bias in the city’s residential tax abatement program. The lawsuit, which accused Cincinnati of favoring white homeowners, shed light on enduring disparities in homeownership between Black and white residents. Advocates said the resolution, signed on Feb. 8, signifies a crucial step towards rectifying historical injustices and fostering a more equitable housing landscape.

National data from the National Association of Realtors and Zillow revealed a stark homeownership gap between whites and Blacks. Nationally, 73 percent of whites own homes compared to 44 percent of Blacks, representing a 29-percentage-point disparity. However, Greater Cincinnati reportedly experiences an even wider gap, with only 33 percent of Black residents owning homes, creating a 40-percentage-point difference.

Elisabeth Risch, executive director of Housing Opportunities Made Equal, emphasizes that historical discriminatory practices, including redlining, persistently impact contemporary housing trends. Redlining, a policy preventing minorities from buying homes in wealthier, predominantly white areas, contributes to the deeply rooted segregation legacy in Cincinnati, Risch said.

Darrick Dansby, president of the Cincinnati chapter of the Realtists, also highlighted the potential gap worsening due to rising interest rates and low inventory, particularly affecting first-time and traditionally marginalized homebuyers.

The nonprofit, Housing Opportunities Made Equal, proposed comprehensive recommendations to narrow the homeownership gap, including tax abatement policy reforms, creating a grant fund for low- and moderate-income homeowners, zoning modifications for inclusivity, property tax relief, and establishing a transparent monitoring process to prevent discriminatory practices.

Now, the recent settlement in the federal lawsuit mandates that the city expand outreach about the tax abatement program in areas with larger populations of poorer and Black residents. Cincinnati City Council has earlier considered reforms, including fair and non-predatory lending expansions to Black and low-income homeowners.

The Council’s action were in response to city records which revealed that, by 2020, Cincinnati had granted 2,640 residential tax abatements totaling $183 million, with over $53 million directed to a predominantly white, affluent neighborhood. In contrast, two majority-Black neighborhoods received less than $1 million in tax abatements between 2014 and 2018.

As part of the settlement, the city will pay $110,000 to the homeowners who initiated the lawsuit. Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval underscored the city’s commitment to making the residential abatement program more impactful and accessible to underinvested communities. Pureval pledged to continue efforts to bring incentives and information about home improvement resources to those who need them the most, ensuring a more just and inclusive housing landscape for all residents.

“Since taking office, we’ve worked to make our residential abatement program more impactful and accessible to the folks who need it the most. I’m proud of our administration’s steps to bring more incentives, an easier process and information about other home improvement resources to our underinvested communities,” Pureval told Atlanta Black Star in a statement.

“As we move forward, those goals will continue to be our guiding light,” Pureval said.

The post Cincinnati Addresses Deep-Rooted Housing Inequities Through Landmark Settlement first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Remembering George Floyd

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OP-ED: Oregon Bill Threatens the Future of Black Owned Newspapers and Community Journalism

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

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By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association

For decades, The Skanner newspaper in Portland, the Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium have served Portland, Oregon’s Black community and others with a vital purpose: to inform, uplift and empower. But legislation now moving through the Oregon Legislature threatens these community news institutions—and others like them.

As President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), which represents more than 255 Black-owned media outlets across the United States—including historic publications like The Skanner, Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium—l believe that some Oregon lawmakers would do more harm than good for local journalism and community-owned publications they are hoping to protect.

Oregon Senate Bill 686 would require large digital platforms such as Google and Meta to pay for linking to news content. The goal is to bring desperately needed support to local newsrooms. However, the approach, while well-intentioned, puts smaller, community-based publications at a future severe financial risk.

We need to ask – will these payments paid by tech companies benefit the journalists and outlets that need them most? Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors, and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption, and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

Legislation that sends money to these national conglomerate owners—without the right safeguards to protect independent and community-based outlets—rewards the forces that caused this inequitable crisis in the first place. A just and inclusive policy must guarantee that support flows to the front lines of local journalism and not to the boardrooms of large national media corporations.

The Black Press exists to fill in the gaps left by larger newsrooms. Our reporters are trusted messengers. Our outlets serve as forums for civic engagement, accountability and cultural pride. We also increasingly rely on our digital platforms to reach our audiences, especially younger generations—where they are.

We are fervently asking Oregon lawmakers to take a step back and engage in meaningful dialogue with those most affected: community publishers, small and independent outlets and the readers we serve. The Skanner, The Portland Observer, and The Portland Medium do not have national corporate parents or large investors. And they, like many smaller, community-trusted outlets, rely on traffic from search engines and social media to boost advertising revenue, drive subscriptions, and raise awareness.

Let’s work together to build a better future for Black-owned newspapers and community journalism that is fair, local,l and representative of all Oregonians.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., President & CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association

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Hate and Chaos Rise in Trump’s America

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Tactics ranged from local policy manipulation to threats of violence. The SPLC documented bomb threats at 60 polling places in Georgia, traced to Russian email domains.

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By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The Southern Poverty Law Center has identified 1,371 hate and antigovernment extremist groups operating across the United States in 2024. In its latest Year in Hate & Extremism report, the SPLC reveals how these groups are embedding themselves in politics and policymaking while targeting marginalized communities through intimidation, disinformation, and violence. “Extremists at all levels of government are using cruelty, chaos, and constant attacks on communities and our democracy to make us feel powerless,” said SPLC President Margaret Huang. The report outlines how hard-right groups aggressively targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives throughout 2024. Figures on the far right falsely framed DEI as a threat to white Americans, with some branding it a form of “white genocide.” After the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, a former Utah legislator blamed the incident on DEI, posting “DEI = DIE.”

Tactics ranged from local policy manipulation to threats of violence. The SPLC documented bomb threats at 60 polling places in Georgia, traced to Russian email domains. Similar threats hit Jewish institutions and Planet Fitness locations after far-right social media accounts attacked them for trans-inclusive policies. Telegram, which SPLC describes as a hub for hate groups, helped extremists cross-recruit between neo-Nazi, QAnon, and white nationalist spaces. The platform’s lax moderation allowed groups like the Terrorgram Collective—designated terrorists by the U.S. State Department—to thrive. Militia movements were also reorganized, with 50 groups documented in 2024. Many, calling themselves “minutemen,” trained in paramilitary tactics while lobbying local governments for official recognition. These groups shared personnel and ideology with white nationalist organizations.

The manosphere continued to radicalize boys and young men. The Fresh & Fit podcast, now listed as a hate group, promoted misogyny while mocking and attacking Black women. Manosphere influencers used social media algorithms to drive youth toward male-supremacy content. Turning Point USA played a key role in pushing white nationalist rhetoric into mainstream politics. Its leader Charlie Kirk claimed native-born Americans are being replaced by immigrants, while the group advised on Project 2025 and organized Trump campaign events. “We know that these groups build their power by threatening violence, capturing political parties and government, and infesting the mainstream discourse with conspiracy theories,” said Rachel Carroll Rivas, interim director of the SPLC’s Intelligence Project. “By exposing the players, tactics, and code words of the hard right, we hope to dismantle their mythology and inspire people to fight back.”

Click here for the full report or visit http://www.splcenter.org/resources/guides/year-hate-extremism-2024.

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