Task Force: City Government & Redlining
Congratulations!
You have been selected to design a policy for counteracting the lasting impacts of redlining in the United States. Your goal is to try and effectively address the issues and help the communities who are hurt by redlining and be prepared to defend your plan to a panel.
Why Are We Doing This?
Redlining is defined as, “a discriminatory practice by which banks, insurance companies, etc., refuse or limit loans, mortgages, insurance, etc., within specific geographic areas, especially inner-city neighborhoods.” Although the process has been outlawed, it continues to impact various communities. Here, we ask you to try and come up with a plan to minimize the impact of redlining in the United States.
Steps:
- Before you begin, research information about redlining in the United States. Research its history and role in modern times.
- Then, try to come up with a plan to minimize its impact on communities in the United States.
- What has been done to address the issue?
- Look at laws that have been passed on the national level and also pick a few cities to research to see what, if anything, has been done.
- Where do you see discrepancies?
- What hasn’t been done?
- What hasn’t worked?
- Are they reformable? How?
- What areas are most impacted by redlining?
- How do you plan to help these areas?
- Of the discrepancies you have identified in past efforts, which do you plan to change? How?
- What will be the main goals of your policy?
- How will you help the communities that are disadvantaged because of the history of redlining?
- What has been done to address the issue?
- Think through the possible objections about your plan that someone might have.
- Share with the group and see if you can convince them that your plan to lower the occurrence of redlining should be adopted by the United States.
Things to Keep in Mind:
- You do not have to come up with an exhaustive list of guidelines for your plan. Focus on a few you are prepared to defend.