<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4Ire9y_1BHRqSKF00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4Ire9y_1BHRqSKF00" width="1200" height="876" ><figcaption>Chris Castro</figcaption></figure>Eugene Realtors co-sponsored a moderated panel discussion in April with the Black Cultural Initiative and Oregon Black Pioneers to discuss fair housing in Eugene as part of Fair Housing Month.This discussion was hosted at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History on the University of Oregon campus, where the ReEnvisioned: Contemporary Portraits of our Black Ancestors exhibit, which features portraits and stories of 10 pioneers, will be on display until June.The panel was moderated by Molly Mair, the education and diversity chair for Eugene Realtors. This is the third year the association has put on an educational event for its realtors and the community during Fair Housing Month. Mair explained that each of these unique events was able to occur due to a grant she received from the National Association of Realtors.For this year’s event, Mair said she was inspired by the city of Eugene’s Equity Atlas research project. After doing more digging, she decided to center this year’s event on the ties between discriminatory behavior toward Black residents and the current state of fair housing in Eugene.The panelists included Oregon Black Pioneers Public Programs and Exhibits Manager Mariah Rocker, founder of the Black Cultural Initiative Talicia Brown, and City of Eugene Senior Planner Stuart Warren.The discussion began with Rocker’s presentation on the history of discrimination in this region. Rocker explained that discriminatory policies such as the Donation Land Claim Act of 1850 and racially restricted housing covenants in the 1900s directly contributed to the unfair barriers for Black individuals seeking housing.The areas in and around Eugene where Black residents could establish homes and communities were in harsh conditions. Oftentimes, these individuals lived in areas with no running water or waste facilities and they were susceptible to seasonal flooding. Even then, when development projects were approved in these areas, the existing residents would be displaced from their homes.In addition to these policies, “all Black settlers in Oregon face the threat of expulsion and violence,” Rocker said. Exclusionary policies and practices that existed for over 100 years made it clear to Black individuals that they were not welcomed in this area.Despite this hardship, many Black families chose to continue to create community and help others to the best of their ability. This includes Annie and CB Mims, one of the first Black families to live within Eugene proper.“They would utilize the two houses that they bought to welcome Black travelers that were not allowed in Eugene’s white-only hotels, including performers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and Nat King Cole,” Rocker said.The performers listed had all been invited to and performed at McArthur Court for dances or concerts. In addition to performers invited by ASUO, the Mims family “would also house Black UO athletic recruits who were not permitted to stay here on campus during their visits,” according to Rocker.These discriminatory and racist practices were not only confined to Eugene but the entire state of Oregon whose constitution directly contributed to their hardships. In addition, Oregon had one of the highest rates of KKK membership in the country, making it even more difficult for Black residents to live or feel safe within this state.At the end of her presentation, Rocker emphasized “the policies and actions that were described in this brief overview continue to reverberate and impact people today.”The spectators of the event, roughly 35 in total, were primarily realtors getting credit for attending an educational event. However, when asked by Brown “how many of you have sold a home to a Black family in the past 10 years” less than a quarter of the room raised their hand.According to the U.S. Census, only 1.8% of the Eugene population identifies as Black. “That should tell us that there is something here that is creating an environment that does not allow Black people to be here and to stay here,” Brown said.This shocking statistic is coupled with the prominent wealth gap that exists between white and Black Americans in Oregon. According to Brown, “In the state of Oregon, currently, white households hold $187,000 in wealth on average and Black households hold $14,000.”This generational disparity contributes to the reduced population and the reduced number of Black families or individuals who own homes in Oregon. One of BCI’s missions is to “work to shift these systems to create greater access for home ownership.”In supporting this mission, BCI works to provide education and resources to the Black community. They teach individuals “how to buy homes, how to generate intergenerational wealth, how to have food security and housing security and all the things that are needed and that are really owed and due to us,” Brown said.In addition to educational initiatives, Brown shared that “Since June of 2023, we have invested literally over $900,000 in our Black community,” and that BCI has “supported four households to purchase homes, and will continue to do that work.”With this work and continued education, Brown hopes that she can help create a community where Black people can thrive, not only obtaining but remaining in their homes.Brown concluded, “So I hope that in a (a few years from now), that more than a few people in this room will raise their hand when I ask the question, ‘how many of you have purchased or has supported a black family and purchasing a home?’”As the final panelist, Warren presented information about the future of housing in Eugene. While the city has its own ideas for development, the majority of Warren’s presentation focused on the housing needs determined by new state laws.“Our new housing need is about 26,000 units over the next 20 years. For perspective, we build 900 to 1400 units a year, so we have increased that by quite a bit” Warren said.This means that more units will be constructed on new and existing lots. Warren explained that old exclusionary practices meant lots were previously held to a size requirement and could only hold a single home. However, with the inclusion of “middle housing” those lots can be modified to hold a four-plex, college cluster or even 10 townhomes.Beyond the need for additional housing units, the city is aiming to change its approach to housing conversations and bring in diverse perspectives, establishing a better community.They are attempting to make positive change through the Equity Atlas research project, which tells the stories of displacement in Eugene and the incorporation of the Envision Eugene Comprehensive Plan.In the upcoming year, according to Warren, the city council will “adopt five new chapters for the comprehensive plan. One on community engagement, compact development, urban design, housing, community health and land use.”Ultimately, Warren hopes that by improving the city’s involvement within historically unrepresented communities, change will be inclusive and beneficial for as many people as possible.However, Warren clarified that these changes will not fix existing problems but serve as a prevention. “We’re talking about ways in which we can prevent people from being forced to live in low income neighborhoods and be close to industrial areas.”Finally, as these proposed changes begin to be implemented, Warren reaffirmed the mission “to really prioritize the folks who have not engaged with us in the past, prioritize the folks who will be most impacted by planning decisions.”Mair concluded the event stating, “Part of our duty as realtors is to continuously strive to become and remain informed on issues affecting real estate and as knowledgeable professionals, to willingly share the fruit of our experience and to study with others.”After the discussion’s conclusion, two realtors shared their key takeaways from the discussion.Jodie Smith explained that she enjoyed the events’ progressions. “I think that was a really nice knitting together, the balance of someone who really has a great understanding of the history about how people first settled here and then how it’s tied into the current action plan.”Stephanie Herro believes that her most important takeaway was “how the city is moving forward with new plans to sort of address some of the inequities that we’re hearing about.” Additionally, Herro hopes “that we hopefully all recognize (these problems) are not of the past, yes, and are currently impacting people on a pretty significant level when it comes to housing.”Finally, President of Eugene Realtors Celeste Schmorde shared her belief in the importance of these kinds of education events for personal reflection. “I mean just understanding my ignorance as a native Eugeneian, … but the more informed I am, the more I can help inform those around me.”This event brought important insights into the reality of the housing inequities across the city and how they are inextricably linked to the history of discriminatory practices. For more information about the history of Oregon, please visit the Oregon Black Pioneers website.To learn what you can do to support the Black community in Lane County, volunteering and donation opportunities are featured on the BCI website. To keep up to date with the Equity Atlas and housing developments in Eugene, information can be found on the City of Eugene Planning and Development website.</div></body>

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Eugene Realtors co-sponsored a moderated panel discussion in April with the Black Cultural Initiative and Oregon Black Pioneers to discuss fair housing in Eugene as part of Fair Housing Month. This discussion was hosted at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History on the University of Oregon campus, where the...

Eugene Realtors host panel to improve housing landscape

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Eugene Realtors co-sponsored a moderated panel discussion in April with the Black Cultural Initiative and Oregon Black Pioneers to discuss fair housing in 

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Eugene Realtors host panel to improve housing landscape

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