On July 13, 2021, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson organized a U.S. House Financial Services Committee event to discuss the issue of redlining in Dallas after WFAA’s “Banking Below 30” story aired. The people in attendance included Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Rep. Maxine Waters, and the Chair of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Rep. Al Green. Additionally, some South Dallas community members spoke about their experiences getting financial services in South Dallas, with Tim Williams of Williams Chicken discussing his issues with getting a loan from Chase Bank despite his multi-million dollar company (Schechter, Trahan, and Horner, 2021).
Additionally, Michael Morris, the Director of Transportation for the North Central Texas Council of Governments spoke about issues in South Dallas such as gentrification, taxing, and housing. Other people in attendance were a developer named Jack Matthews (Matthews Southwest), a chairman of the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce named Matt Houston, a dentist named Dr. Natalie Stimpson, and a Real Estate Council (TREC) member named Felicia Pierson (Schechter, Trahan, and Horner, 2021).
At the end of the meeting, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, along with Michael Morris’ help, discusses forming a singular plan that would address the issue of redlining in South Dallas. She hopes to enlist the help of the city of Dallas, a foundation, and individuals, with the larger desire to apply the plan nationally. Congresswoman Johnson wants to help stabilize historic neighborhoods and help modernize them so that people can sustainably live there (Schechter, Trahan, and Horner, 2021).
To learn more, watch the U.S. House Financial Service Committee meeting below:
Schechter, D., Trahan, J., & Horner, C. (2021, July 9). WFAA series prompts congressional testimony about ‘travesty’ of banks refusing to loan to minorities. Wfaa.Com. https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/wfaa-series-prompts-congressional-testimony-about-travesty-of-banks-refusing-to-loan-to-minorities/287-d9458697-69d9-4108-826c-b5c966ad9c14
WFAA. (2021, July 13). US House committee hears testimony on discriminatory bank practices in Dallas highlighted by WFAA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEFt5A370jk