by Shawn Nowlin
Leslie Frazier, Senior Vice President of Community and Industry Relations for Virginia REALTORS®, believes that to effectively address the housing disparities that exist amongst certain communities, more honest and difficult conversations need to happen.
On April 21, she was offered an opportunity to moderate a community conversation on fair housing, something the Richmond resident gladly accepted.
Presented by the Harrison Museum of African American Culture, the panel discussion focused on the history of the Gainsboro area of Roanoke while examining how past policies and development decisions continue to shape housing access today.
The presenters – Anthony Jennings, Mayor Joe Cobb, Jordan Bell and Rita Joyce – each provided unique insight and perspective.
The free-flowing dialogue covered a broad range of topics: housing discrimination, subtle biases that exist in lending, how to better serve diverse communities, balancing revitalization with protecting long-term residents and building trust in communities that have historical reasons to be skeptical.
Jennings’ desire to help people find quality housing happened long before he became the owner of IVELMAP REALTY, LLC.
“My job is to provide my clients with as much accurate information as possible. What they decide to do with that is totally up to them. People have a way of knowing if you are being honest or not,” he said.
Since 2001, Cobb has called Roanoke home. “I moved from Wichita, Kansas, which is a very different landscape from Roanoke. For me, as a leader, it’s been critical that I know the true history of our city. Some of the housing challenges we face today are rooted in urban renewal and people not having access to capital,” he said.
For years, Joyce has worked in the banking industry. The Truist Bank Mortgage Loan Officer has always been more than willing to answer questions and give feedback.
“In this line of work, if you look at an individual who may not be in your class or price range and decide not to be of service, the impact could be detrimental. Many simply give up. And in my books, that is never an option,” she said. “It is so important that people take advantage of the resources available to them.”
“Education and outreach are very important, too. People need to be knowledgeable about the different localities and financial products that are serious options. You may have a traditional loan, but Virginia Housing has a plethora of other products,” Bell later added.
Once the event concluded, attendees did some networking. Catering services were provided by Tasha’s Heart & Soul.
When asked what she would like those unable to attend to know, Frazier responded, “The importance of knowing the history of where you are and how that plays into businesses. For there to be trust, parties must familiarize themselves with the community they live in.”
