Urban League Sounds the Alarm: Cleveland, Philadelphia, and the Crisis of Displacement

*Across America, Black and Brown communities are facing a housing crisis that is all too familiar and growing more urgent every day.

In major cities across the U.S., housing is the leading problem. And in Philadelphia and Cleveland, specifically, the stories are nearly identical: affordable housing is vanishing, gentrification is pushing families out of neighborhoods they’ve called home for generations, and systemic barriers are keeping too many from owning property and building generational wealth.

Dr. Darrin Anderson, CEO and President of the Urban League of Greater Philadelphia, is sounding the alarm locally, regionally, and nationally about the nation’s housing crisis. We spoke to him while he was in Cleveland, participating in the National Urban League Conference, of which his local affiliate office belongs to, in Philadelphia.

We discussed the similar housing problems faced in Philadelphia, where he leads and Cleveland, which was the host city for the national conference. “Gentrification is real. In so many of our cities, families are being forced out because they don’t have the resources to stay,” says Dr. Anderson. “Affordable housing must be in front of housing conversations—period.”

Between Cleveland and Philadelphia alone, over 1.6 million residents face the challenges of rising costs, limited affordable units, and aging housing stock in need of necessary, immediate repairs. For Black and Brown families, these pressures are compounded by decades of discriminatory redlining, segregation, and economic disinvestment.

Now, many neighborhoods once neglected are prime targets for redevelopment, but longtime residents aren’t often given the means to stay. Through the Urban League movement, which has 94 affiliates strong across the U.S., with leaders like Dr. Anderson, there is fight underway for real solutions.

“Most of us are focused on housing,” he explains. “We know that homeownership changes lives. We provide first-time homebuyer education, pre- and post-purchase counseling, webinars, and resources to help people navigate this tough market.”

Yet the challenges remain steep. High interest rates and the soaring costs of living create stiff competition for limited affordable homes. Meanwhile, aging houses need costly upkeep and remodeling that many owners simply can’t afford. “One of the ways we’re addressing this is by working to provide low-interest loans or capital to help homeowners cover critical repairs,” says Dr. Anderson.

Beyond direct services, the Urban League is pushing for long-term policy solutions. Nationally, they’re working with HUD to communicate grassroots needs and advocate for meaningful change.

Locally, affiliates like Philadelphia’s are engaging city officials to secure more resources for closing costs, down payments, and housing stabilization efforts.

Dr. Anderson believes this is a fight that must be waged at every level: “This is a national problem, a state problem, and a local problem. And it’s going to take our elected officials stepping up and doing the hard work to address these horrible housing inequities.”

Philadelphia and Cleveland are just two of numerous other urban cities that have housing problems, and are awaiting solutions for millions of Americans.

The Urban League of Greater Philadelphia invites its local community members to get involved—whether by attending webinars, supporting advocacy, or spreading awareness on social media. To learn more, visit www.urbanleaguephila.org and follow @urbanleaguegphl on all platforms.

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