In 2021, New York mandated racial impact studies, or Racial Equity Reports (RER), to evaluate the effects of rezoning on housing, displacement, and job access. These studies arose from community advocacy for transparency in urban development. However, a recent report by the Pratt Center indicates that these tools are underutilized, with many community boards lacking training or knowledge of them. This gap hampers their effectiveness, leading to pushback from developers who fear community empowerment against traditional practices that contribute to displacement.
"Racial impact studies don't block or delay rezonings. They simply pull together data that's already publicly available," the authors write. "What the backlash reveals is how uncomfortable some developers are with giving communities the tools to demand more from a broken status quo."
A new report from the Pratt Center finds that these tools are being underused and under-supported-putting their promise at risk. Making the Most Out of Racial Equity Reports analyzed over 50 RERs and interviewed community board members and elected officials.
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