The Color of Power: How Local Control over the Siting of Affordable Housing Shapes America

Some cities, such as Chicago, have power structures that allow hyperlocal control over the siting of affordable housing—and maintain racial segregation of residential housing as a result. Advocates can push for structural changes that can curb this power and reduce racial segregation. These changes include citywide comprehensive planning, racial equity impact assessments, an overhaul of the zoning process grounded in racial equity, and a comprehensive education campaign to address the city’s long history of segregation and the city’s duty to proactively address it.