Read the PDF of our statement here.
Today the Supreme Court announced its decision in the case of Bank of America Corp. v. City of Miami, ruling that Miami may sue major banks for racially discriminatory mortgage lending practices under the Federal Housing Act. The Court has ordered the lower court to determine whether there is a direct connection between Bank of America’s lending practices and the economic losses faced by Miami, including diminished property taxes and higher costs of city services. LDF filed an amicus brief in support of the City of Miami. In response to the Supreme Court’s decision, LDF issued the following statement:
“The Supreme Court’s decision today keeps alive the promise of justice for the victims of racially discriminatory and predatory lending. In upholding the common-sense proposition that the Fair Housing Act allows municipalities injured by the foreclosure crisis to have their day in court, five justices rightfully recognized that accountability from the large financial institutions that engaged in widespread predatory practices is vital. The fight for housing equality continues, but today’s ruling makes it easier rather than harder to ensure that discrimination has no place in housing, or any aspect of American life.”
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Founded in 1940, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization and has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund or LDF.
