U.S. Suburbs Aren't in Danger
The Claim
Democrats are seeking to uproot and destroy American suburbs.
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Emerging story
In a video submitted to the recent August 2020 Republican National Convention, Mark and Patricia McCloskey stated that the Democratic party under Joe Biden will “abolish the suburbs altogether by ending single-family home zoning.” Patricia McCloskey further claimed, “this forced rezoning would bring crime, lawlessness, and low-quality apartments into now-thriving suburban neighborhoods.” The two lawyers warned that these changes could be coming to any neighborhood in America.
The claim soon went viral on social media.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar’s investigation found that the central focus of the supposed battle for America’s suburbs lies with a piece of Obama-era legislation: AFFH (Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing). Passed in 2015, AFFH was an extension of the 1968 Fair Housing Act which was enacted to help eliminate housing segregation/discrimination. There is a long documented history of housing discrimination along racial lines in the United States
In order to discourage housing discrimination, the AFFH requires municipal jurisdictions that receive Community Development Block Grants (usually issued to low-income areas) to report roadblocks to fair housing and the means of circumventing them. Those who do not comply with collecting data on housing discrimination might not recieve federal grants. However, the effective impact of AFFH is arguable, as municipalities did not necessarily have to take any action based on their data.
In 2018 President Trump revoked AFFH. Conservatives have complimented this measure as a way of preserving local governance and the “American Dream,” while liberals argued that it was a blatant endorsement of racial segregation. Naturally, as it was passed under his Vice Presidency, Joe Biden endorses the reinstatement of AFFH.
However, despite the claims of Trump and the McCloskeys, AFFH does not eliminate single-family zoning. In only one case did AFFH affect zoning whatsoever. If AFFH were to be reenacted it is questionable whether or not it would have any impact at all, much less as the harbinger of doom for suburban families.
