"They take pride in their schools. They begin to participate, where, when they are renters, they don't do that. So what we're doing by this program is strengthening America"
About this Quote
Alphonso Jackson links homeownership to civic participation and national strength, echoing a long American tradition that equates owning property with having a stake in the republic. The claim rests on familiar logic: homeowners tend to stay longer, pay property taxes that fund local schools, and see their property values rise with school quality. That financial tie can translate into showing up at board meetings, voting in local elections, and monitoring neighborhood conditions. Research has often found higher participation among homeowners, but much of that advantage stems from stability and resources rather than the deed itself. People who can afford to buy are also more likely to have the time, networks, and confidence to engage.
The statement slides into a sharp contrast that understates renters contributions. Renters do organize PTA drives, fight for safer streets, and volunteer in classrooms; they are more likely to face barriers that dampen participation, such as frequent moves, insecure leases, and work schedules that leave little slack. Shift the conditions and the outcomes change: give renters stability and voice, and participation rises. Treating civic virtue as the province of owners risks erasing that reality and casting millions as lesser stakeholders.
Jacksons emphasis also reflects the policy mood of the early 2000s, when HUD pushed to expand homeownership, especially for low-income and minority households long shut out by redlining and segregation. The promise was wealth-building and rooted communities. Yet the drive, combined with lax lending and predatory practices, fed the subprime crisis and subsequent waves of foreclosure that hollowed out neighborhoods and school funding, undermining the very goals invoked.
Strengthening America is less about tenure than about security, inclusion, and opportunity. Homeownership can be a powerful anchor for families and communities, but a healthy civic fabric also requires protections for renters, investments in schools regardless of who holds a deed, and multiple paths to build wealth and voice.
The statement slides into a sharp contrast that understates renters contributions. Renters do organize PTA drives, fight for safer streets, and volunteer in classrooms; they are more likely to face barriers that dampen participation, such as frequent moves, insecure leases, and work schedules that leave little slack. Shift the conditions and the outcomes change: give renters stability and voice, and participation rises. Treating civic virtue as the province of owners risks erasing that reality and casting millions as lesser stakeholders.
Jacksons emphasis also reflects the policy mood of the early 2000s, when HUD pushed to expand homeownership, especially for low-income and minority households long shut out by redlining and segregation. The promise was wealth-building and rooted communities. Yet the drive, combined with lax lending and predatory practices, fed the subprime crisis and subsequent waves of foreclosure that hollowed out neighborhoods and school funding, undermining the very goals invoked.
Strengthening America is less about tenure than about security, inclusion, and opportunity. Homeownership can be a powerful anchor for families and communities, but a healthy civic fabric also requires protections for renters, investments in schools regardless of who holds a deed, and multiple paths to build wealth and voice.
Quote Details
| Topic | Pride |
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