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Examining Affordability for Asian American and Pacific Islander Renters in Metro America

Dear Atlas users,

Atlas data shows that at least half of renters are currently rent burdened in 57 of the 100 largest cities in the United States. Research has shown that rent-burdened households are more likely to experience financial instability and be at risk of eviction. Through our research, we continue to explore how housing unaffordability impacts families across the nation. Here are the latest updates from the Atlas:

New Atlas Research Illustrates The Uneven Geography of Affordability for Asian American and Pacific Islander Renters

The second report in our series exploring the changing geography of opportunity in American metropolitan regions indicates that Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) renters experienced an uneven distribution of housing affordability across ethnic groups and geographic regions during the period between the Great Recession and the Covid-19 pandemic. Our analysis of changes in market rent and median household income for AAPI residents in the 100 largest US metros shows that AAPI residents have been disproportionately concentrated in the least affordable regions. It also underscores that AAPI communities’ relatively high median incomes can obscure the presence of many low-income AAPI renters who struggle with finding safe and secure housing. To further illustrate these findings, we explore the various housing challenges that AAPI residents face in the Honolulu, Atlanta, Philadelphia/New York, and Los Angeles metropolitan areas. Visit the project page to assess other resources, including a dashboard you can use to explore the differences between and within AAPI communities across the US.

An Equity Profile of Kalamazoo County

Kalamazoo County, Michigan, is growing more diverse. But our latest equity profile — developed in partnership with the Kalamazoo Community Foundation and local community leaders — details how a long history of racial discrimination and disinvestment in the region’s communities of color have created entrenched and persistent racial inequities in employment, income, wealth, education, health, justice, housing, and transportation. These growing gaps are costing the county an estimated $1 billion in potential economic growth each year. Learn more.

Data Update: Rent Debt Dashboard

Our updated Rent Debt Dashboard shows that more than 5 million renters remain in debt, with an estimated total rent debt of more than $11 billion nationwide, as of April 10. The majority of those behind on rent are low-income people of color. This new data underscores the magnitude of the rent debt crisis in communities across the country and the continued urgency of providing tenant protections to keep families in their homes and curb the surge of evictions that have followed the end of pandemic eviction moratoriums.

Meet the 2024 Class of National Equity Atlas Fellows

In case you missed it, we announced our second cohort of equity champions — 10 grassroots leaders of color from across the nation who will spend the next year sharpening their data skills and producing new data visualizations and other research products to strengthen their organization’s policy and advocacy campaigns. In the face of mounting challenges, the Atlas remains committed to bolstering the impact of dedicated advocates who reflect the communities they serve, which is a critical ingredient to winning on equity. Learn more about our fellowship program.

Atlas in the News

Over the past few months, Atlas data and analyses have been cited in dozens of news articles: Findings from our September 2022 report on Prop 22’s impact on rideshare drivers was cited in a piece from The San Francisco Standard about rideshare and food delivery drivers grappling with tipping issues. The report was also cited in a piece from The Guardian about drivers calling for the regulation of rideshare companies. Our rent debt data was cited in a CalMatters article on rising evictions in Los Angeles County and a CNBC article detailing solutions for those grappling with rent debt. To explore more of our media coverage, visit our news archive.

We Want to Hear from You!

If you’ve found any of our data, research, or resources valuable, please let us know. Share your questions, thoughts, and stories with us at info@nationalequityatlas.org.

— The National Equity Atlas Team at PolicyLink and the USC Equity Research Institute (ERI)

March 2023

Building for the All! Infrastructure Standards for Transformation of the Built Environment

Overview

For decades, our government’s policies excluded many by design. But throughout our nation’s history, we have joined across races and places to solve big problems and build democracy to serve generations to come. 

A critical part of this generation’s work is to build new infrastructure –– accessible transportation, clean energy, climate-resilient cities and towns, broadband access, good jobs –– that serve all of our communities. To guide government leaders at all levels in this undertaking, PolicyLink and partners developed a set of Infrastructure Standards, precipitated by the unprecedented influx of government funds with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Most of the funds distributed through the IIJA and IRA will use the established mechanisms for dispersing government funds –– from block grants to formula funding –– which entrenched many inequities over decades. However, still, federal, state, local, and tribal government officials have considerable ability to act in support of equity, and we urge them to adhere to these standards as they administer these funds. 

Together, we can implement new standards for governing so that nothing stands in the way of everyone providing a great life for their families.  

Download the following related brief:  Building for the All! A Guide for Local, State, and Tribal Governments in the Infrastructure Moment

March 2023

Assessment of Federal Equity Action Plans

Overview

This PolicyLink and Race Forward report provides an overview of the federal equity action planning process and assess the strengths and areas for improvement in the plans themselves. The assessment identifies three overarching themes as a result of the analysis: 1) Responsiveness to Executive Order, 2) Transformative Measures, and 3) Sustainability and concludes by offering recommendations for how an equity action plan process may be strengthened if there is an opportunity to do so.

Designing Our Just Housing Futures Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Public Comment Guide

Overview

A comment guide providing a brief history of the AFFH mandate, an overview of the 2023 proposed AFFH rule and the federal rulemaking and public comment process, a step-by-step guide to help you or your organization to write and submit a strong, equity-focused comment,  data sources to support it, and sample language for organizations across sectors to use in their public comment.

December 2022

How Might Equity Scoring Apply to Federal Legislation?

Overview

ABOUT THE EQUITY SCORING INITIATIVE
A partnership of PolicyLink and the Urban Institute

Federal legislation is fundamental to building a nation in which all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential. Since our nation’s founding, in many ways, federal legislation has created and exacerbated racial inequities, leaving one-third of the population experiencing material poverty and preventing our democracy from realizing the promise of equity.

To ensure the federal government serves us all, we must accurately understand and assess whether every policy advances or impedes equity.

The Equity Scoring Initiative (ESI) exists to establish the foundation for a new legislative scoring regime. By scoring for equity, we can begin to create an accountable, responsive democracy.

Happy Holidays from the National Equity Atlas

Dear Atlas users,

As 2022 comes to an end, we're celebrating what has been both a productive and transformative year for our team and partners. This year, we produced more than 30 data products, including reports, fact sheets, equity profiles, dashboards, and analyses, that have helped communities and advocates across the nation win on equity. Here are a few more updates from the Atlas to close out the year:

Applications for the National Equity Atlas Fellowship Are Now Open!

Are you a mid-career grassroots leader of color who’s interested in learning how to leverage data to bolster your organization’s campaigns? We’re now accepting applications for the second cohort of National Equity Atlas Fellows. This year-long program offers selected participants hands-on training in data analysis and visualization, opportunities to engage with data and policy experts, access to a peer network of other community-based leaders from across the United States, and dedicated support in developing original data projects. The deadline for applications is January 21, 2023, and the fellowship will begin in March 2023. To learn more about the program and how to apply, visit nationalequityatlas.org/lab/fellowship-cohort2.

Ensuring Workers in the Miami Metropolitan Area Are Prepared for the Jobs of Tomorrow

South Florida’s economic rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic has been turbulent, driven by persistent barriers to quality employment prospects for residents of color and an elevated risk of automation-driven job displacement. Our latest workforce equity report — produced in partnership with Florida International University — examines what these upheavals and ongoing racial economic exclusion are costing the three-county region. Our in-depth analysis of disaggregated equity indicators and labor market dynamics found that Black workers and Hispanic women in the Miami metropolitan region have the lowest median wages at $16 per hour, while white men earn the highest median wages at $27 per hour — a 69 percent pay gap. The research also indicates that eliminating racial gaps in wages and employment for working-age people could boost South Florida's economy by $122 billion a year. Download the full report, and explore other regional analyses in our Advancing Workforce Equity project.

Join Our Team

The USC Equity Research Institute invites applicants to apply for a one-year postdoctoral fellowship in support of the research and activities of the Atlas. The postdoctoral fellow will have the opportunity to contribute to building data infrastructure for the equity movement, conduct quantitative and qualitative research, and participate in engagements with community advocates and policymakers. Please help us spread the word!

Thanks for Being a Part of Our Growing Network

We appreciate your continued support and interest in our work. Please stay tuned for new research, updated data, and more opportunities to connect with us in 2023! In the meantime, if you’ve found any of our data, research, or resources valuable this year, we want to hear from you! Share your thoughts and stories with us at info@nationalequityatlas.org.


- The National Equity Atlas Team at PolicyLink and the USC Equity Research Institute (ERI)

January 2023

Advancing Workforce Equity in Miami: A Blueprint for Action

Overview

South Florida’s economic rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic has been turbulent, driven by persistent barriers to quality employment prospects for residents of color and an elevated risk of automation-driven job displacement. This report—produced in partnership with Florida International University and Lightcast, with support from JPMorgan Chase—examines the economic costs of these upheavals and ongoing racial economic exclusion in the Miami metropolitan region. Our in-depth analysis of disaggregated equity indicators and labor market dynamics found that Black workers and Hispanic women have the lowest median wages at $16 per hour, while white men earn the highest median wages at $27 per hour—a 69 percent pay gap. The research also indicates that eliminating racial gaps in wages and employment for working-age people could boost the region's economy by $122 billion a year. The report concludes with several strategies to advance workforce equity in South Florida and to ensure that all workers, including those who face the additional burdens of systemic racism, are prepared for the jobs of tomorrow with the skills, supports, and access they need to fully participate and thrive in the economy. Download the report.

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