NEW YORK (January 15, 2021) — Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. (Enterprise), in partnership with the New York State Attorney General, today announced that the ten municipalities and counties in its New York State Anti-Displacement Learning Network will begin implementing their customized strategies to address community displacement. These cities and counties taking part are Broome County, City of Buffalo, City of Elmira, City of Hudson, City of Ithaca, City of Kingston, City of Newburgh, City of Rochester, City of Syracuse, and New York City. Since the Network’s launch in January 2020, state officials, leaders, and nonprofit partners have worked collaboratively with local stakeholders to identify particular triggers of displacement in each community and design targeted approaches to address them. The program will now implement these high-impact strategies locally, supported by $10 million committed by Enterprise, with plans aiming to preserve community stabilization and allow residents to remain in their homes.
“As the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout continue to devastate New York communities, it’s especially crucial that we work together to keep residents safely housed and prevent community displacement,” said Judi Kende, senior vice president and chief program officer, Solutions Division, Enterprise Community Partners. “We are proud to have collaborated with local leaders and the Office of the Attorney General to create strategies that will stabilize communities and protect residents and their homes. We look forward now to implementing these life-changing plans in each community.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has left us on the verge of an acute housing crisis in New York,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “From Buffalo to Brooklyn, the New York State Anti-Displacement Learning Network is essential in identifying and addressing issues that promote housing displacement among communities, such as predatory landlords, housing discrimination, and the lack of low-income housing. I am committed to continuing the great work with Enterprise Community Partners to help curb community displacement throughout the state.”
Resident displacement is a major cause of community destabilization across New York. Displacement disproportionately harms low-income communities and people of color, furthering racial inequity and causing increased and entrenched poverty, economic immobility, and weakened cultural ties and support networks.
Displacement triggers across the Anti-Displacement Learning Network’s ten participating municipalities and counties vary. These include predatory landlords and housing discrimination, stagnant wages, housing quality, rapid and ongoing escalation of property values, high-cost housing, lack of affordable housing, high property taxes, deed theft scams, and high rates of poverty and unemployment. Tactics to prevent displacement, such as providing emergency rental assistance and new community resources, will address the specific triggers of each community. Participants will also plan community awareness and engagement campaigns tailored to meet their specific local causes.
Enterprise worked alongside the Attorney General’s office as well as PolicyLink and the Center for Community Progress to design learning sessions and collaborate with jurisdiction teams on developing their strategies.
"Disrupting the cycles of vacancy and neighborhood destabilization are critical as we build back from COVID-19 and collectively advance racial justice and inclusion imperatives," said Dr. Akilah Watkins, President and CEO of Community Progress. "This bold work spearheaded by New York leaders to help vulnerable residents and fight displacement is well-positioned to become a model for what's possible across our nation."
“The Covid-19 pandemic has worsened an already severe housing crisis of displacement, evictions, and housing insecurity in low-income communities and communities of color throughout New York State,” said Chris Schildt, Senior Associate at PolicyLink. “Through this initiative, local government and community partners have come together to develop strategies that disrupt the drivers of displacement and create a more equitable housing system coming out of this crisis.”
The Anti-Displacement Learning Network’s strategies to prevent community displacement are expected to commence January 2021. Through this program, state officials, leaders, and nonprofit partners will work collaboratively to move the dial on tackling local displacement triggers and developing models that could be replicated across the country.
About Enterprise
Enterprise works with partners nationwide to build opportunity. We bring together the nationwide know-how, partners, policy leadership and investments to multiply the impact of local affordable housing development. Over more than 35 years, Enterprise has created nearly 585,000 homes, invested $43.6 billion and touched millions of lives. Join us.
About the Center for Community Progress
Founded in 2010, the Center for Community Progress is the national leader for building strong, equitable communities where vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties are transformed into assets for neighbors and neighborhoods. Today, Community Progress has affected change in more than 48 states and seven countries through leadership education, technical assistance, and collaborative systems, policy, and practice reforms. Simply, we work to transform “Vacant Spaces into Vibrant Places.” For more information, visit CommunityProgress.net.
PolicyLink
PolicyLink is a national research and action institute advancing racial and economic equity by Lifting Up What Works®. For more information, visit PolicyLink.org.
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