APAH’s Commitment to Racial Equity

Statement on Racial Equity

Adopted by the APAH Board of Directors on June 16, 2021

After several months of discussion, learning and listening, the APAH board and staff are eager to share the following racial equity statement, which has been drafted to ground and guide us as we seek to embed racial equity into all that we do.  The statement was endorsed unanimously by APAH’s Board of Directors on June 16, 2021.  At the same meeting, the board also unanimously approved adding “Racial Equity” as a seventh APAH value and establishing the Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee as a standing committee of the APAH Board.

We recognize that this is one step on our journey to more effectively move the needle on structural racism and inequality in our country, and in the housing sector specifically.  We share our statement below and, for transparency and accountability, will periodically provide updates of our work on the APAH website.

Susan Bell
Chair, APAH Board of Directors, 2021

Our Vision for Racial Equity

We acknowledge the history of racial injustice in our country and the specific impact that racial discrimination and structural racism has had on the housing industry.  The legacy of redlining, discriminatory financial practices and disinvestment continue to have an impact on communities of color, particularly for African Americans.

We believe that everyone has a right to housing and having a safe place to call home. Housing is a platform for stability, community connection and economic opportunity, and for too long the benefits afforded by stable housing have been extended inequitably.  As real estate developers, service providers and affordable housing advocates, we strive to approach our work with an anti-racist lens in order to contribute to the creation of a more equitable and inclusive community for all.

The work of racial equity is never done, but at APAH we commit to deepening our focus and strengthening our actions to pursue racial justice and promote equity.

To see APAH’s commitment to racial equity prior to December 2022, click here.

APAH’s Overarching Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Goals:

  1. Create a comprehensive and authentic commitment to promote racial justice through APAH’s work.
  2. Embed inclusion into the APAH culture.
  3. Create measurable opportunities to improve the lives of Black, Indigenous and People of Color among our staff, residents, business partners and communities.

In December 2022, APAH signed onto the Housing Partnership Network’s Equity Pledge, and reframed our REDI Workplan around the pledge’s components:

  • Sign on to HPN Equity Statement and Pledge for transparency around member commitment
  • Assessment of, commitment, and internal efforts to achieve boards, staffs and staff leadership that reflect the diversity of the communities the member resides in and serves
  • Commit to providing Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Training to all board directors and staff
  • Commit to interrogating and changing 1 – 3 corporate practices, policies, products or services that have disparate impact on clients of
    color
  • Perform an equity assessment of organization spend going forward, and increase spend with BIPOC owned and/or led businesses by x percent
  • Conduct internal organization review of communications to transition to narrative using racial equity lens; Advocate locally for same
  • Advocate with respective congressional delegations and/or administration as part of campaigns

Here is the status report from our first year of reframing our commitment to REDI using the HPN framework:

2023 REDI Accomplishments