Reimagining Home: Black Mobility, Housing, and the Fight for Equity
A Thought-Provoking Evening of Art, History, and Scholarship at the National Public Housing Museum
By Crown Family School
On Thursday, February 13, 2025, the National Public Housing Museum, in partnership with Court Theatre and the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, hosted Agora: A Dream Deferred – Black Mobility and Housing—an evening dedicated to exploring the past, present, and future of housing justice.
Held at the National Public Housing Museum, the event invited scholars, advocates, and community members to examine the systemic barriers to Black mobility, homeownership, and housing access. Timed alongside Court Theatre’s production of A Raisin in the Sun, running through March, the evening combined art, history, and scholarship to illuminate the long-standing inequities in housing policy and their lasting impact on Black communities.
Gallery Talks: Interrogating the Structural Realities of Housing Inequity
Throughout the evening, attendees participated in gallery talks led by scholars and practitioners, each providing a critical perspective on the challenges embedded within housing systems:
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Public Housing Stories – Award-winning author Sandra Jackson-Opoku explored the lived experiences of public housing residents, reflecting on themes of resilience, displacement, and community activism.
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Challenges of Homeownership – Robin Bartram, PhD, Assistant Professor at the Crown Family School, presented a compelling analysis of the hidden costs of homeownership, particularly the financial burdens that disproportionately affect Black homeowners. Bartram highlighted that 36% of U.S. owner-occupied homes require repairs, impacting over 43 million households, with Black homeowners often facing greater repair needs and fewer financial resources. She also noted that every dollar invested in home repairs yields a $2.84 return, reinforcing the urgency of expanding home repair assistance programs and questioning whether homeownership alone is a viable solution to economic equity.
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The Illusion of Housing Choice – Philip Garboden, PhD, Associate Professor at the Crown Family School, critically examined the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program and the realities of where voucher recipients can actually live. Garboden explained that while HCVs were designed to provide low-income families with greater housing flexibility, structural barriers and landlord discrimination significantly limit real choice. He highlighted that while it is illegal for landlords to reject tenants based on voucher status, many still do, creating a system where 40% of voucher holders are forced to return them unused. Rather than empowering families to move to neighborhoods of opportunity, Garboden argued that the program often serves landlords’ investment interests, as rental properties are acquired and marketed specifically for voucher holders, restricting true mobility. His research underscores the disconnect between policy intentions and lived realities, reframing housing choice as a landlord-driven rather than tenant-driven decision.
Immersive Activations: Connecting History to the Present
Beyond the gallery talks, attendees explored interactive activations throughout the museum, each offering a deeper engagement with the themes of Black mobility and housing justice:
- Good Times – A specially curated selection of scenes from Black Jesus, an episode of Good Times, was screened, with commentary provided by current Cabrini-Green residents. This activation invited attendees to reflect on the representation of Black life in public housing and its cultural significance.
- What Happened Next – A new animated short film by Manual Cinema, narrated by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, guided visitors through the ways redlining, racial covenants, and blockbusting have shaped urban housing landscapes and contributed to the racial wealth gap.
- Demand the Impossible – Attendees engaged in Trustville, a board game developed by the New Economy Project that reimagines Monopoly through a solidarity economy framework, challenging traditional capitalist real estate models.
- Listen – A music history activation in the REC Room, curated by DJ Spinderella and led by scholar Adrienne Brown, allowed visitors to engage with the role of music in public housing culture, spinning records and discussing the intersection of housing, music, and social movements.
The Agora Conversation: Reframing the Narrative on Homeownership
The evening concluded with an Agora Conversation, a dynamic discussion featuring housing advocates and experts. The panel critically examined the longstanding belief that homeownership is the key to Black economic advancement, questioning the structural inequities that make homeownership an unequal pathway to financial security.
Key insights from the discussion included:
- Homeownership alone does not close the racial wealth gap—systemic policies and economic barriers continue to disadvantage Black homeowners.
- Black homeowners disproportionately bear the financial burden of home repairs, further widening economic disparities.
- Expanding public policies and home repair assistance programs is critical to ensuring sustainable homeownership opportunities.
- Housing justice requires policy interventions beyond ownership models to address the root causes of systemic exclusion.
As attendees departed, the evening’s conversations underscored a central theme: housing justice is not just about access—it demands systemic change. Agora: A Dream Deferred offered a vital space for reflection and action toward a more equitable housing future by weaving together historical narratives, artistic expression, and scholarly insights.
For more on housing research and policy insights from the Crown Family School, visit:
Robin Bartram, PhD – Learn more
Philip Garboden, PhD – Learn more