The Trump administration last week rescinded a Obama-era rule that asked HUD recipients to measure and consider fixes to racial segregation in their communities.
President Donald Trump then followed up the decision with a tweet that critics say was an explicit appeal to white, suburban voters.
"His tweet was aimed at a strategy of appealing to racial resentment and really people's worst ideas about how our communities should be structured," David Sanchez, director of research and development for the National Community Stabilization Trust, told Cheddar. "Attitudes like that are a big reason why we have such severe segregation by race, class, and opportunity in this country, and unfortunately the president is trying to use those fears to benefit himself politically."
The loss of the rule itself has gotten less attention, in part due to its low profile as more of a regulatory tweak than an aggressive federal policy.
The Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule that Trump's HUD eliminated asked municipalities and housing authorities to account for racial bias in their communities by writing a report and issuing recommendations, but it did not force municipalities to address segregation directly.
"It was about gathering data," Sanchez said. "It was about getting people talking about segregation. But it wasn't about forcing communities to do anything."
In the long-term, though, he added that cutting the rule will only contribute to the ongoing economic divide between the suburbs and cities.
"It's going to continue to concentrate economic resources, social privilege in certain people who can afford to live in high-opportunity communities," Sanchez said. "In the same way the COVID crisis has supercharged inequality in this country, this is just another step in that direction."
The late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lay in state at the U.S. Capitol on Friday, the first woman in American history so honored at the domed building.
From Wall Street to Silicon Valley, these are the top stories that moved markets and had investors, business leaders, and entrepreneurs talking this week on Cheddar.
Dr. Paul Stoffels, chief scientific officer at Johnson & Johnson, joined Cheddar to discuss phase three COVID-19 vaccine trials. More than 60,000 people worldwide have volunteered to be part of the study.
A closer look at some key areas where Ginsburg was most influential reveals a jurist who defied easy ideological categories, especially when it came to business.
The pandemic is now striking cities with much smaller populations, often in conservative corners of America where anti-mask sentiment runs high.
Ohio Rep. Bob Latta joined Cheddar to discuss new safety legislation he's introduced for autonomous vehicles. The Self-Drive Act will create a national standard for operation of self-driving cars.
Democrats are going back to the drawing board on a huge virus relief bill. House Democrats say they are paring back their proposal in an attempt to jump-start negotiations with the Trump administration.
Dr. Jo Jorgensen, the 2020 Libertarian candidate for President, joined Cheddar to discuss her role in this year's election and whether third party candidates dictate the outcome. Jorgensen also provides her position on mask wearing when it comes to mitigating the spread of COVID-19.
As undocumented immigrants navigate life in America, we're hearing a firsthand account of what it's like seeking higher education while being undocumented. Sarahi Espinoza Salamanca, founder and CEO of DREAMers Roadmap, joined Cheddar to discuss how to app helps other undocumented immigrants find funds to pay for school.
California plans to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered passenger cars and trucks in 15 years.
