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  • Comment Detail

  • Date: 02/20/21
    First Name: Eileen
    Last Name: Diaz McConnell
    Email: eemcconn@gmail.com
    Organization Type: other
    Organization: Arizona State University
  • Comment

    I live in Scottsdale, Arizona where I have seen how rising and unequal home values have affected the amount of affordable housing and the growing racial wealth gap. The neighborhood where I live has homes worth more $500,000 and they are quickly increasing in value, and is racially segregated--almost everyone is Non-Hispanic White, most people own their own homes, and are experiencing increasing wealth because of where they own homes. In other neighborhoods in other parts of Scottsdale and the larger Phoenix Metropolitan area, mostly where Mexican and other Latino residents live, homes are still unaffordable for most people (worth $200,000 - 300,0000) and if they are homeowners, the values are not increasing as much because they are in racially diverse neighborhoods.

    I recognize at the root of these problems is increasingly unequal home values. Given this, I support the FHFA implementing the following:

    1. Standardized measures. Adopt new smartphone applications that provide more consistent estimates of gross living area, number of rooms, and home amenities.

    2. Define neighborhoods. Modernize the uniform appraisal form to automatically define neighborhood boundaries and characteristics to decrease racial and class bias in neighborhood definitions.

    3. Change comparative method. Reform the comparable sales approach and/or introduce an alternative method that does not rely on past sales which are directly tied to racist redlining practices.

    4. Democratize data. Make the federal data on appraisals available so that individuals and communities can identify experiences of racial and class discrimination.

    5. Provide federal mortgages. Partner with other governmental agencies to address the legacy of redlining by providing affordable federal mortgages based on family wealth and income.