Rosa Parks' vacant former home is an emblem of racist housing policies | Bernadette Atuahene

Rosa Parks' Former Detroit Home Now Empty, Symbolic of Enduring Racial Housing Policies

Seventy years ago, Rosa Parks' courageous stand against racial segregation on a Montgomery bus sparked a wave of civil rights activism across the United States. Her bravery led to nationwide protests, sit-ins, and boycotts that ultimately dismantled Jim Crow laws and paved the way for greater equality. However, in Detroit, where Parks eventually found refuge with her husband Raymond, she encountered a different kind of oppression – one rooted in racist housing policies.

The former home at 3201 Virginia Park Street, where Rosa and Raymond Parks resided from 1961 to 1988, has become an eerie reminder of the pernicious impact of these policies. Once valued at $40,000, the property is now virtually empty, surrounded by vacant lots and crumbling homes. The City of Detroit's systematic overvaluation of this property – along with many others – has only exacerbated the problem.

Bernadette Atuahene, a leading expert on housing policy and civil rights, attributes these disparities to a suite of entrenched racist practices, including racial covenants, redlining, blockbusting, and predatory mortgage lending. These tactics have created a legacy of inequality that continues to stifle Black homeownership and perpetuate wealth disparities.

The effects are stark. On average, Black and Hispanic households pay 10% to 13% more in property taxes than their white counterparts for the same properties. This translates to an additional $300 to $400 per year in unnecessary tax burdens. In Detroit alone, a recent investigation revealed that the City of Detroit overtaxed homeowners by at least $600 million.

Atuahene's book, Plundered: How Racist Policies Undermine Black Homeownership in America, sheds light on these systemic inequities and their far-reaching consequences for communities of color. By acknowledging the intersectional nature of racism – one that extends beyond overt forms like segregation to include more insidious policies – we can begin to dismantle the barriers that have long limited access to affordable housing.

As we commemorate the 70th anniversary of Rosa Parks' courageous act, it's essential to remember not only her bravery but also the lasting impact of racist housing policies on Black communities. By confronting and dismantling these entrenched inequities, we can work toward a more equitable future – one where homeownership is a reality for all, regardless of skin color or socioeconomic status.

It's crazy to think that 70 years after Rosa Parks sparked the Civil Rights Movement, we're still dealing with the effects of racist housing policies . I mean, $40k value property now empty? That's just wrong. It's not just about Rosa Parks' bravery, it's about how these policies have held Black communities back for decades. And the numbers are staggering - 10-13% more in taxes? That's a huge burden on households. We need to acknowledge these systemic inequities and work towards dismantling them. It's time to recognize that racism isn't just about overt segregation, but also about subtle policies that perpetuate inequality . We can do better, folks.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this - like, seventy years ago Rosa Parks was fighting against racial segregation on buses and now we're still dealing with racist housing policies in Detroit . It's wild that the City of Detroit overtaxed homeowners by at least $600 million and that Black households pay 10-13% more in property taxes than white ones for the same properties - it's just not fair . I've been reading about Bernadette Atuahene's book "Plundered" and it's giving me a lot to think about, like how we can start dismantling these barriers to affordable housing if we acknowledge the intersectional nature of racism . It's all pretty messed up but hopefully we can learn from the past and create a better future for everyone

can't believe this is still goin on 70 yrs after Rosa Parks stood up for herself . i mean, who overvalues homes by that much just 'cause of the color of ppl's skin?! it's just crazy to think about how much more ppl would be able to afford homes if it wasn't for these racist policies . and yeah, i see what Bernadette Atuahene is sayin' about blockbustin', redlinin', etc... those practices are straight up discriminatory . anyhoo, I think we need to start lookin at these issues like a whole system problem rather than just one policy issue . we gotta make sure everyone's got access to affordable housing and it ain't just for the "right" people .

I'm still amazed how much some cities are failing at addressing the housing crisis . The fact that Rosa Parks' home in Detroit is now empty and worthless is just another example of how systemic racism is still holding people back 70 years later . It's not just about the $40,000 valuation or the overtaxation by $600 million - it's about the legacy of racism that's been embedded in our housing policies for decades . We need to do better than just acknowledging these problems and expecting change to happen on its own; we need concrete solutions and real action to address these inequities .

I'm tellin' ya, this whole thing with Rosa Parks' old home in Detroit just blows my mind . Like, what's goin' on here? The city's overvaluatin' these properties and then tax-in' the living daylights outta them. It's like they're tryin' to squeeze every last penny from the Black community . And don't even get me started on the vacant lots and crumbling homes – it's like a ghost town, man .

I mean, Bernadette Atuahene is spot on with her analysis of racist housing policies and how they're killin' Black homeownership . We gotta recognize that racism ain't just about segregation; it's also about the way we treat people based on their skin color or socioeconomic status .

It's like, what's the point of all these civil rights achievements if we still got systemic inequities holdin' us back? We need to be honest with ourselves and acknowledge that there's still a long way to go before we can say we're truly equal .

omg u guys i'm still in shock over this!!! the fact that rosa parks' former home in detroit is EMPTY and surrounded by vacant lots its like a sad reminder of how far we still have to go the city's systemic overvaluation of properties is just another way of saying theyre not really valuing black homes bernadette atuahene says it all in her book plundered its so important that we acknowledge these racist policies and their effects on communities of color i mean think about it, black households pay like 10% to 13% more in property taxes than white households its just not fair we need to do better, we owe it to rosa parks and to all the other brave individuals who fought for equality

it's so sad to see Rosa Parks' former home in Detroit being neglected like this the legacy of racism and segregation is still haunting us today... $40k property now empty and filled with vacant lots what a shame... the systemic inequities are real, folks... 10-13% more in property taxes for black & hispanic households vs their white counterparts? that's just not right the city of detroit is literally taking advantage of people... Bernadette Atuahene's book Plundered needs to be read by everyone who cares about housing policy and civil rights we need to acknowledge these intersectional forms of racism and work towards a more equitable future where everyone can own a home without breaking the bank

I mean, what's up with Detroit overvaluing Rosa Parks' old home? Like, if the city knew it was gonna sit vacant for 70 years, why not just slap a 'For Sale by Owner' sign on it and be done with it? Sounds like more bureaucratic red tape to me . And don't even get me started on this whole racial covenants thing – it's just another example of how the system is rigged against people of color. I mean, who needs housing policies when you can just have open market prices, right? But seriously, this stuff is like, basic inequality 101. We need to get real about our past mistakes and start making some concrete changes to address these systemic issues. Anything less feels like more of the same old status quo .

come on guys, this is like, so messed up! 40k house now empty... that's crazy! and it's not just the Parks' home, it's the whole system that's broken . we gotta talk about how redlining and all that other racist stuff in housing policy has been screwing over black people for decades . I mean, who benefits from this? banks and politicians... it's like, so corrupt! we need to start holding them accountable and making real changes, not just commemorating Rosa Parks' bravery with a empty house .

This is what happens when cities value empty houses over people's lives Like, seriously, who needs a functioning community when you can have some fancy property to show off? The whole thing is just a mess, and it's no wonder Rosa Parks' family had to leave Detroit in the first place. All that "progress" they thought they'd made was just more of the same old systemic racism It's crazy that these racist housing policies are still affecting Black homeownership today. Like, 70 years after Rosa Parks made her stand, we're still dealing with this nonsense? We need to do better than just acknowledging the problem – we need to actually fix it

so like I'm reading this about Rosa Parks' old house in Detroit and it's empty now because of racist housing policies... 70 years after she stood up against segregation on that bus, people are still dealing with this stuff . It's crazy how these policies have just been passed down and perpetuated over time, making it harder for black people to own homes. I mean, Bernadette Atuahene is like a leading expert on this stuff and she says that these policies are still affecting communities of color today . It's not just about segregation anymore, it's about all the little things that add up to make it hard for them to get a foothold in the housing market . Like, did you know that black households pay more in property taxes than white ones? That's some extra cash they're shelling out just because of their skin color . We gotta acknowledge these systemic inequities and work towards a better future where homeownership is accessible to everyone, not just the privileged few

the thing that gets me is how the city's overvaluation of properties like rosa parks' old home in detroit is essentially pricing out entire neighborhoods and perpetuating wealth disparities it's like, if the property value was being used to help black families buy homes, instead they're just collecting more tax revenue from them. meanwhile, bernadette atuahene's book Plundered highlights how these systemic inequities are rooted in racist practices like racial covenants and predatory lending... it's time for us to acknowledge the intersectional nature of racism and start working towards dismantling barriers to affordable housing

The US still hasn't fully recovered from the systemic racism that was built into its housing policies... Like a diagram with layers
- top layer: overt segregation laws
- middle layer: redlining and blockbusting tactics
- bottom layer: predatory mortgage lending and racist covenants
These inequalities are still affecting Black communities today, causing them to pay way more in property taxes than white households for the same homes
- 10% to 13% higher tax burden = $300 to $400 more per year
It's like, when you draw a line graph and the curve is all skewed because of these biases... That's what's happening with housing policies in the US

We need to keep talking about this stuff until we can dismantle these barriers and make homeownership accessible for everyone.

its crazy how some ppl just dont get it... like the city of detroit valuing rosa parks house at $40k in 1961 and now its empty lol what did they expect? meanwhile bernadette atuahene is right on point about these racist housing policies, cant we just acknowledge that segregation is still alive and well in some form? even tho we think weve moved past it

I mean, 70 years ago, Rosa Parks' courage sparked so much change, but now it's like the system just caught up with her and her husband in Detroit . They lived in that house from '61 to '88, but even back then, racism was a thing. You know, back then they had these 'rational' covenants that kept Black folks out of certain neighborhoods? Now it's like the city's still playing that game, overvaluing properties and leaving them empty . It's crazy how much it costs Black households to own a home - an extra $300 to $400 a year in taxes is no joke . We need to read more about this stuff so we can figure out how to break the cycle of racism and inequality .

Detroit's decision to overvalue Rosa Parks' former home is just another example of how racist housing policies are still affecting people today. It's not just about the money; it's about how these policies perpetuate inequality and limit access to affordable housing. The fact that Black and Hispanic households pay more in property taxes is a stark reminder of the systemic issues at play. We need to acknowledge and address these inequities if we want to create a more equitable future for all.

The sad state of Rosa Parks' former home in Detroit is like a punch to the gut. I mean, what's the point of having all that history and significance if it just gets left to decay? It's not just about the physical space, it's about the systemic inequality that still affects Black communities today.

The numbers are crazy - 10% to 13% more in property taxes for Black households? That's like paying an extra $300 to $400 per year just because of their skin color. It's outrageous and it's time we do something about it.

I'm all for acknowledging the intersectional nature of racism, but it feels like we're just scratching the surface when it comes to addressing these issues. We need to be doing more than just talking about it - we need to be taking concrete action to dismantle these barriers and create a more equitable future.

The fact that this is still happening 70 years after Rosa Parks' courageous act is just devastating. It's like we've learned nothing from history. But at the same time, I'm hopeful that we can use this as an opportunity to learn and grow. We need to be having these conversations and working towards real change.

Detroit's former home of Rosa Parks now empty... what's the point of preserving history if not to learn from it? The city's overvaluation of properties with historical significance only adds to the problem. We need to tackle systemic racism in housing policies, not just acknowledge it. Every dollar saved on property taxes for one family means more financial burden for another.

this is so messed up - rosie parks fought for equality but her own city didn't give it to her, they just kinda...left her house empty and now its like this huge symbol of what happens when the system fails ya? the fact that they overvalued her property too is wild, like who does that? and 300 bucks a year is a lot to pay for not being able to afford your own home...the math just doesn't add up.