Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, gave the following statement at a Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance virtual hearing entitled, “Zoned Out: Examining the Impact of Exclusionary Zoning on People, Resources, and Opportunity.”     

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman for holding this hearing. It’s very important. In America today, our zip code preordains our access to jobs, homeownership, affordable rents, and a child’s access to quality education. It began with enslaving and later segregating my ancestors, stripping our Indigenous brothers and sisters from their land, redlining people of color out of homeownership, and it continues today with restrictive and exclusionary zoning policies. Communities across this country continue to use zoning and local control as a dog whistle to preserve racial residential segregation that contributes to the undersupply of housing. We must ensure every family in America has access to the communities of their choice. So, I look forward to our expert witnesses for their testimony today. Again, I thank you for holding this hearing. 

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