Commentary: Five strategies to grow Black homeownership

By Antoine M. Thompson Antoine M. Thompson is a housing policy expert, president of the Black Housing Policy Network (BHPN), a licensed real estate agent with EXP Realty Group and former national executive director of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB). He is a former New York state senator and former common council member for Buffalo City. (Courtesy photo) In 1865, over 159 years ago, the U.S. eliminated or outlawed slavery in the U.S. with the passage of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. One of the promises and pledges to freed slaves was that each would receive 40 acres and a mule. This commitment would help former slaves with building a home, raising a family and growing wealth through land ownership and entrepreneurship. While some Black Americans were able to receive land in the 1860s and 1870s, unfortunately, many former slaves nor their descendants ever received land. In fact, many Black Americans that were given land were chased off their land with force and brutality from the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and other White supremacy organizations.& Still to this day the dream of land and homeownership continues to be elusive for Black Americans from slavery, post...