b'COMMUNITYBlack AppraisersNeeded to Combat BiasBy Hazel Trice Edney, TriceEdneyWire.com Whites, according to NAREB\'s State of Housing inLets also keep in mind that this is not just about Black America (SHIBA) report. That is a gap of 29.6them doing a fair job for those who look like us but percent - larger than the 27 percent gap that existedbeing able to work in the industry at large. "in 1960, before the Civil Rights movement and Fair CollinsstatesoneofthereasonsmoreAfrican-W hen a former client of leading Black real estateHousing laws," the SHIBA report said. his initiativesAmericansdonotseektobecomeappraisers broker Donnell Williams was about to get hisWilliams hopes that the launch ofis"becauseofthegatekeepers.Itshardtoget house refinanced in Wharton, New Jersey, Williamswill help close the gap, thereby help to realize thementorshipsevenifyoumeetthequalifications. quotedhimasasking,ShouldIhavemyWhitehighest homeownership rate in years for first timeThentheywantyoutohaveabachelorsdegree. friendcomeoverandopenupthedoorforthebuyers.CivilrightsorganizationsthatdealwithThen you have to put in so many apprentice hours. appraiser?economic justice issues agree that the appraisal biasIts a good ole boy network we cant get in to do those Williams,arealtorfor30yearsandbrokerforissue is a key to bringing parity. training hours. 21years,iswellawarethathisformerclientsThe National Urban League has long recognizedAdvocates in the field of homeownership agree that perception of racism within the real estate industryracialbiasinhomeandpropertyappraisalsasamore Black appraisers will assist in remedying the is indeed a reality. Current media stories are full ofbarriertoBlackhomeownershipandgenerationalissue of appraisal bias. reports of people who have had to conceal their racialwealth building, said Marc H. Morial, NUL president/identitiesgoing as far as to hide family photos andCEO.ThroughourworkasInarecentcolumn,CharleneCrowell,asenior cultural art - in order to get aoneofthenationslargestfellowwiththeCenterforResponsibleLending, fair and equitable appraisal ofproviders of housing counselingquotedTheUrbanInstitute:Appraiserbiashas their home.assistancetocommunitiesoflikely played a role in homeownership and housing It is for this reason and manycolor, we know all too well thatwealthoutcomes,andincreasingdiversityinthe othersthattheBlackRealthis type of discrimination hasfield can diminish this bias in the long term. EstateProfessionalsAlliancegoneonfortoolongandin (BREPA.org) of which Williamsplain sight. ispresident,hasjoinedwithWilliams, former president of theAppraisalInstitute(AI).the National Association of Real Together,BREPAandAI arelaunchingatrailblazingEstateBrokers,contendsthatWilliams also stresses programtorecruitandtrainprovidingscholarships(which will differ from state to state), at least 100 Black Appraisershelping to facilitate the requiredthat 100 Black in100Days.Thisisanew2,000 apprentice hours, and the initiativeaimedatbringing parity to the field of appraising.full and final licensing of moreAppraisers in 100 Days BREPAisteamingwithAIsAfrican-Americanappraisers, willprovideAfrican-American Appraisal Diversity Initiative.homeownerswithasensewill not only provide ofcertitudeintheappraisal Here are the facts:Donnell Williams process.alsostressesthatBlack homeowners, in AccordingtoTheAppraisalWilliams Institute, a global professionalthereare100BlackAppraisersin100particular, with greater associationofrealestateappraisers,Days will not only provide Black homeowners, in particular, with greater confidence 78,000 appraisers in the U. S. which includes 85.4intheappraisalprocess,butwillalsocreatejobsconfidence in the percentWhiteappraisers,butonly1.3percentin the Black community that pay a living wage with African-Americans.salariesthatcanrangefrom$57,000-$147,000a AccordingtotheWhiteHouse,whichalsoyear. Together, these actions will serve to increaseappraisal process, but recentlyannouncedanewanti-biasinitiativeforBlackhomeownershipandhelpclosethewealth appraisals, New research shows that mis-valuationgap, Williams says.countryhavealreadysignedwill also create jobs in incommunitiesofcoloriswidespread.ArecentDozensacrossthe report from Freddie Mac found that appraisals for homepurchasesinmajority-Blackandmajority- upfortheopportunitytobecomeanappraiserthe Black communityLatino neighborhoods were roughly twice as likely toonBREPA.org.Onepotentialapprentice,Candis PressleyofPhiladelphia,isaseasonedrealestate result in a value below the actual contract price (thebrokerof23years.Shehasabachelorsandthat pay a living wage amount a buyer is willing to pay for the property),masters degree in real estate and says she simply comparedtoappraisalsinpredominantlywhite neighborhoods.loves the business. However, she too has run intowith salaries that racially biased appraisers. According to a report by the Washington Post, there is currently no federal database for discriminationCandis recalls finalizing a contract where her clientcan range frominappraisals.However,statesacrossthenationwas the lessee and the appraiser was asking for proof of her authority to sign the lease. Really, in my 23 -includingNewJersey,OhioandIllinois-areyears of doing this, Ive never seen anything like it,$57,000-$147,000 a year. beginningtoexplorewaystopenalizethosewhoshe said. I felt it was racial bias from the appraiser traffic in racial discrimination in appraisals through legislations or the courts.and what they were asking. And it really encouragedTogether, these actions me that this is a much-needed program. Aswithallsystemicracialdisparities,thisbiasThe mother of a 10-year-old son, Pressley says she also directly impacts generational wealth building forhas already begun teaching him about real estatewill serve to increase the Black community. The National Urban Leagueand she hopes to see him in the business someday reportsthatthemedianWhitefamilyholdseight times the wealth of the typical Black family and fivewith generational wealth that can be continuallyBlack home ownership times the wealth of the typical Latino family.passed down. Withseveralnewinitiatives,Williams,formerIts always been the case of a Caucasian personand help close the wealth presidentoftheNationalAssociationofRealcoming into our properties telling us what the value is,saysBillCollins,communicationsliaisonfor EstateBrokers(NAREB),hasdeclaredwaronthethe Black Real Estate Professionals Alliance. Thisgap, Williams says.homeownership gap experienced by communities ofinitiative is going to change that. Now you will have color. According to the U.S. Census, as of the secondsomeonewholookslikeuswhohopefullywillbe quarter of last year, the Black homeownership ratelevel-headedenoughaftertheygothroughthese was44.6percentcomparedto74.2percentforapprenticeships to do a fair job for the consumer. 6 JUNE 2022 BOCNEWS.com'