Dear friend,

Welcome to Frontier, the monthly newsletter from the Future of Property Rights Program at New America. This month, we continued to explore the impact of COVID-19 on property rights, shifting our focus internationally. We also wrote about how, in the United States, land and property are inherently connected to the ongoing protests against structural racism and police brutality. Here's what we've been up to:

What We're Doing

Black Lives Matter More Than Property

Fellow Malcom Glenn wrote for The New America Weekly on why criticizing property destruction amid protests against systemic racism is exactly the wrong response. Malcom argues that property in the United States has always been racialized, and that we're feeling those repercussions today. Read Malcom's article here.

New America's CEO Anne-Marie Slaughter and President Tyra Mariani also released a statement on systemic racism, available here.

The Coronavirus Is Democratizing Knowledge

FPR is very excited to welcome back Natalie Chyi as a program fellow, with a focus on Elinor Ostrom's application of the "commons" to human knowledge and data. Natalie recently wrote for Wired on how the COVID-19 pandemic is empowering communities to become co-creators and co-distributors of information.

Natalie's article is available here.

COVID-19 and International Property Rights

FPR spent much of the spring analyzing the impact of COVID-19 on housing in the United States. Over the past few weeks, we've shifted our focus to the international space: Yuliya Panfil and Thierry Hoza Ngoga wrote for Thomson Reuters Foundation News on how COVID-19 demonstrates that officials throughout the developing world must update archaic land systems to increase future resilience. Yuliya also moderated an online panel on migration, displacement, and de-urbanization amid COVID-19. The webinar was part of a larger series on the implications of the pandemic on land rights globally. A recording is available here.

What We're Reading

"Preparing for the Post-COVID-19 Land Grab" - Next City

Taking lessons from the 2008 recession, Nikishka Iyengar and John Haines caution against the potential for post-COVID-19 land grabs across the United States. Investors who purchased vast amounts of real estate post-recession contributed to the transition of majority owner-occupied neighborhoods to majority renter-occupied neighborhoods. The authors recommend that cities proactively prevent these buy-ups through land trusts or community investment trusts. We wonder what other innovative policies and models could help mitigate any future grabs?

"Study shows land redistribution can create new jobs in agriculture in South Africa" - The Conversation

Ben Cousins argues that land redistribution to Black South Africans would help improve employment in the agricultural sector. In limited studies on redistribution, four participating municipalities found potential for over 23,000 new jobs related to farming and livestock. Is large-scale land redistribution now possible in South Africa, given that job creation and food security are essential for the government during and after the COVID-19 pandemic?

"America's Cities Were Designed to Oppress" - CityLab

Bryan Lee Jr. writes of the role that architects and design professionals played in the historic oppression of Black and Brown people throughout the United States. Architects failed communities of color for decades, imposing "order" on the built environment to enable and uphold control of marginalized communities. But Lee presents a list of actionable responses that architects can commit to in order to support the movement for Black lives.

Thoughts on our work or where we're headed? Feel free to reach out to us at FPR@NewAmerica.org.

Until next month, the FPR Team.

About New America

New America is dedicated to renewing the promise of America, bringing us closer to our nation’s highest ideals. We’re a different kind of think tank: one dedicated to public problem solving. Our team of visionary researchers, changemakers, technologists, and storytellers study and seize the opportunities presented by dramatic social and technological change. We search for powerful ideas, wherever they are, and collaborate with civic innovators around the world to develop evidence-based solutions.

The Future of Property Rights Program at New America aims to help solve today’s property rights challenges, both at home and abroad. Through our research, writing, and convening, we strive to connect new constituencies and shed light on underreported issues in the property rights space.

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