Resources
Skip to 12:53 for Phil McBride's testimoney
House Bill 1335 in Washington
Senate Bill 5378 in Washington
At John L. Scott, we are driving the conversation to right some of the wrongs caused by past redlining and other discriminatory processes. One way we’d like to create a positive change is by helping lead the charge to remove racist language still present in some neighborhood documents. This language is not enforceable but is still harmful, and should be removed.
John L. Scott COO Phil McBride testified on Wednesday, Feb. 3 in support of
House Bill 1335, a bill that would serve as the next step in correcting the historic injustice of racial language in covenants. John L. Scott has been leading the conversation, locally and nationally, around removing racial covenants still present in some home titles today.
Aimed at preventing homeownership by racial minorities, racial covenants or deed restrictions preventing homeownership are an explicit legacy of racial discrimination in housing. While these covenants have been ruled unconstitutional and unenforceable, they are still on the title of many properties in the state of Washington. In 2018, the Legislature created an administrative process enabling homeowners to file a recorded document to repudiate such racial covenants, and
HB 1335 is intended to take this one step further.If passed, HB 1335 would create a statewide review of recorded real estate documents to identify which properties have a racial covenant. Then, these homeowners would be notified of the presence of this covenant and instructed on how this covenant can be repudiated through the county administrative process created by the Legislature.
In early March, the Washington State Senate passed SB 5378, a bill that would revise real estate brokers and managing brokers license renewal requirements. One revision within the bill is adding mandatory diversity education to support Fair Housing. Next up, the bill will go through the House of Representatives and is expected to pass and be signed into law.
At John L. Scott, we are supportive of enhanced diversity education requirements in support of Fair Housing, so we are pleased to see this bill move forward.
Amplifying diversity, equity and inclusion within our society doesn’t just happen overnight. It takes a great deal of due diligence in the form of continued education, conversation, action and more. We all have an important role to play here and we at John L. Scott have compiled a variety of resources so that together, we can make an impact in society and move diversity, equity and inclusion forward.
Learning Resources: Explore the articles, websites and other learning resources below to kickstart or enhance your diversity knowledge in the world of real estate and beyond.
NAR’s At Home with Diversity certification
NAR’s Bias Override: Overcoming Barriers to Fair Housing video
NAR’s Fairhaven: A Fair Housing Simulation
NAR’s Role – Past, Present and Future – in Fair Housing
Walking Through Past and Present
Martin Luther King Jr’s 'I Have A Dream' Speech, In Its Entirety
NAR’s Implicit Bias Training
Videos: If you’re a visual learner, these videos allow you to educate yourself, reflect and dig deeper into critical history to understand and move diversity, equity and inclusion forward within society.
Segregated By Design
The Color of Law deep dive
History of Redlining in Seattle (YouTube video from KCTS9)
Seattle On The Line: Examining the History & Contemporary Impact of Redlining
(YouTube video from Seattle Channel)
History of Redlining & Segregation in King County (YouTube video from King County TV)
Color blind or color brave? (YouTube video from TED)
John L. Scott’s Approach to Supporting Diversity and Fair Housing: J. Lennox Scott is committed to continuing conversations around the topic of diversity in the real estate industry and beyond, keeping it at the pinnacle of our work. Explore below to learn more about John L. Scott’s approach to supporting enhanced diversity within society and creating equal housing opportunity for all.
Video messages, presentations and further information by J. Lennox Scott:
Martin Luther King, Jr. message
John L. Scott’s 90th year project
John L. Scott – Spring DEI Update video
Housing Solution Summit presentation
John L. Scott Approach to Supporting Diversity and Fair Housing video
Notes: Supporting DEI leads to Fair Housing
Presentations from John L. Scott events:
At Home With Diversity with J. Lennox Scott and Margo Wheeler
Simon T. Bailey Industry Forum presentation
Dr. Lee Davenport Industry Forum presentation
Facebook Friday with Farrah Wilder
Inman.com articles penned by J. Lennox Scott:
Diversity, equity and inclusion: A multifaceted approach
Addressing inequities in real estate through education and outreach
Beyond words: How we act on our commitment to diversity
Realtors are key voices to ensure fair housing is indeed fair
White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson (book; audiobook)
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates (book; audiobook)
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo (book; audiobook)
Blind Spot: Hidden Biases of Good People by Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald
(book; audiobook)
Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask by Anton Treuer (book; audiobook)
Diversity Beyond Lip Service: A Coaching Guide
for Challenging Bias by La'Wana Harris
(book; audiobook)
Books: Reading stimulates your brain while giving you the opportunity you to empathize with the information you’re taking in. Below are some books we recommend as you continue playing your role in diversity, equity
and inclusion within society.
The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein (book; audiobook)
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson (book; audiobook)
The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap by Mehrsa Baradaran
(book; audiobook)
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi (book; audiobook)
Race for Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry Undermined Black Homeownership by
Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor (book; audiobook)
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo (book; audiobook)
A Peculiar Indifference: The Neglected Toll of Violence on Black America by Elliott Currie (book; audiobook)
White Fragility
by Robin DiAngelo (book; audiobook)
Latino Americans: The 500-Year Legacy
That Shaped a Nation
by Ray Suarez (book; audiobook)
The Making of Asian America: A History
by Erika Lee (book; audiobook)
An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the
United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
(book; audiobook)
Measure of a Man
by Martin Greenfield (book; audiobook)
The Book of Pride: LGBTQ Heroes Who
Changed the World by Mason Funk
(book; audiobook)
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson (book; audiobook)
The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap by Mehrsa Baradaran (book; audiobook)
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi (book; audiobook)
Books: Reading stimulates your brain while giving you the opportunity you to empathize with the information you’re taking in. Below are some books we recommend as you continue playing your role in diversity, equity
and inclusion within society.
Race for Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry Undermined Black Homeownership
by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor (book; audiobook)
The Color of Law
by Richard Rothstein (book; audiobook)
A Peculiar Indifference: The Neglected Toll of Violence on Black America by Elliott Currie (book; audiobook)
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man by Emmanuel Acho (book; audiobook)
Other Books for Consideration
The Women's Rights Movement:
Moving Toward Equality
by Shane Mountjoy (book; audiobook)
Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to
Say, and How to Be an Ally by Emily Ladau
(book; audiobook)
The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley (book; audiobook)
A Nation of Immigrants
by John F. Kennedy
(book; audiobook)
DEI Real Estate Organizations: These organizations are partnered with the National Association of REALTORS. Below you’ll find links to the national organizations, as well as a handful of relevant local chapters.
Asian American Real Estate Association of America (AREAA)
Greater Seattle Chapter
Portland Chapter
National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals® (NAHREP)
Seattle Chapter
National Association of Real Estate Brokers, Inc. (NAREB)
Western Washington
LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance (The Alliance)
Portland Metro Chapter