Expanding Access to Resources and Capital for Equitable Home Ownership
Cleveland faces significant housing challenges rooted in historical patterns of disinvestment that have disproportionately impacted low to moderate-income residents and underserved communities. The city's aging housing stock requires significant repairs in many cases, while neighborhoods that have historically experienced underinvestment, particularly on the East side, are now dealing with rising... Read more
Preventing Displacement and Investing in Resilience
Seattle faces significant housing challenges stemming from its rapid growth and strong economy, which have made it an attractive place to settle but have also created displacement pressures for many families, especially historically underrepresented households. The Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) has a clear vision for inclusive, resilient... Read more
Cultivating Partnerships to Build Wealth and Financial Inclusion
The Port of Long Beach is an economic powerhouse, handling $200 billion worth of goods annually and supporting 2.6 million jobs nationwide. However, the West Long Beach neighborhood that houses the port, where 90% of residents are people of color, with significant Latino, Black, and Filipino communities, suffers from poor... Read more
Fostering Intergenerational Wealth Through Homeownership
Kansas City faces significant housing challenges, including high vacancy rates (10.5% of housing units) and declining Black homeownership, which has decreased by 2.5% in recent years with fewer than 50% of Black households owning homes. To address these issues, the City's Land Bank is collaborating with the Office of Housing... Read more
Connecting Home Buyers with Down Payment Assistance
Durham, North Carolina is experiencing one of the fastest-growing real estate markets in the country, currently ranking fourth nationally in price growth and demand. The city's expanding job market in technology and healthcare has attracted new residents, but rising housing costs have created significant challenges, especially for historically underrepresented renters... Read more
Transforming Municipal Property into Affordable Residential Housing Opportunities
Durham, North Carolina has experienced significant growth, with population increasing by 24% between 2010 and 2020 and median home values rising by 59% from 2017 to 2022. These market dynamics have widened existing inequities, with Black household homeownership (42.1%) lagging significantly behind white households (64.6%). To address these disparities, the... Read more
Reimagining Homelessness Prevention and Response for the Latino Community
Los Angeles County is addressing the rapid rise among Latino residents experiencing homelessness, which increased by 26% from 2020 to 2022—more than triple the national rate. In response, the County’s Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative convened a task force to identify barriers such as language access, immigration status, and... Read more
Developing an Accountability Framework to Address the Needs of Black People Experiencing Homelessness
Los Angeles County, home to one of the largest homeless populations in the United States, is prioritizing racial equity in its response to homelessness, recognizing that Black residents—though only 10% of the population—make up 30% of those experiencing homelessness. The County is partnering with FUSE Executive Fellow Ni Kal S.... Read more
Curbing Commercial Energy Use Through Equitable Legislation Design
New Orleans is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving building energy efficiency. It has successfully reduced energy use in its City buildings and launched the Downtown Energy Challenge. Despite restrictions on regulating natural gas use in private buildings, the City aims to lead by example and encourage others... Read more
Affordable Housing, Energy Efficiency, and Climate Resilience
The Durham Housing Authority recognizes the ongoing challenge of preserving affordable housing and aims to address it by incorporating climate resilience and sustainable design principles. By partnering with FUSE, they seek to assess funding opportunities, improve the health and energy efficiency of existing and new affordable housing, and develop a... Read more