The Urban League of Philadelphia Luncheon Calls Out Housing Disparities

PHILADELPHIA (Dec. 11, 2023) - At their Whitney M. Young, Jr. Empowerment Luncheon, the Urban League of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA) applauded community leaders while also calling for further action.

Chad Lassiter, the executive director of Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, was the Urban League’s keynote speaker at the event, which took place on Friday, Dec. 8th. During his remarks, he emphasized persistent housing disparities faced by Black Americans despite the 1968 Fair Housing Act. Lassiter stressed that discriminatory practices persist, leading to homelessness and reduced homeownership among Black communities, echoing the ongoing need to address housing inequality.

“Housing discrimination is not a myth,” he said. “It is a stark reality. It manifests itself in various forms from landlords refusing to rent to Black people, to real estate agents sailing Black people away from predominantly white neighborhoods to lenders denying Black applicant’s mortgages at a higher rate.”

Highlighting the Urban League's impactful initiatives, Lassiter commended their renowned housing counseling program, aiding 3,000 individuals in 2022, facilitating 70 families in purchasing homes valued at $4.2 million.

The event, attended by 300 people, acknowledged outstanding contributions by the community leaders, honoring figures like Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson and organizations such as Wells Fargo Foundation and the Community First Fund, which received the Diversity and Inclusion Award.

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