Coinciding with the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies released its annual State of the Dream report. Named after Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream Speech,” the report highlights the deteriorating conditions facing African Americans heading into 2026. NCRC economist Joseph Dean contributed to the report’s section entitled “Black Homeownership and Housing Policy”. Here are some highlights from the report:
- Congressional and administrative actions, the tax cut provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, the dismantling of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the mass firing of federal employees will negatively impact the economic advancement of Black Americans.
- The CFPB’s proposed change to Regulation B of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act would eliminate disparate impact, which may exacerbate the financial exclusion of historically disadvantaged groups. It would also limit the implementation of Special Purpose Credit Programs, which are a powerful tool for channeling credit on favorable terms to underserved communities without violating anti-discrimination laws.
- The expansion of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, the permanent extension of the New Market Tax Credit and the passage of the HOME Investment Partnerships Program’s final rule will help expand financing for affordable housing developments.
Photo Credit: NPS/volunteer Bill Shugarts
