Corporate citizenship in the times of Black Lives Matter and COVID-19

Corporate citizenship from yesteryear was about paid time for employees to volunteer at a charity, sponsorship of local events, food and blood drives and other workplace initiatives.  Those are all good things.   But...

In the absence of needed federal action, local governments, along with for and non-profit corporations should be taking a stand, and not hiding behind the lack of federal guidance. 

Black Lives Matter and COVID-19 are very different, but powerful forces in 2020.  

While the timing and groundswell of Black Lives Matter protests was not predictable, the deeply rooted racism and oppression left no doubt our country (and world) would one day reckon with it.  Racism and oppression are pervasive through out our country. Some changes and reparations will be local, but federal guidance and minimum standards would be appropriate, though the current administration will be loathe to do so.  It is not my place (white woman of a certain age) to suggest appropriate benchmarks.  That being said, there is a groundswell of support for change NOW, that should not be denied nor wasted.

We're seeing plenty of corporations make pro-Black Lives Matter statements.  While this is a good start, even better would be actions consistent with those statements.  Most companies have, at some time, done some sort of equity and inclusion trainings.  Also, a good start, also not enough.  I am not an expert on this, but I'd sure like to see some tangible changes; professionally led discussions within companies, specific actions to empower people of color within the work place, initiatives not just to hire people of color, but to provide mentoring and education to those populations, giving them preparations and access to  employment opportunities.  And separation from, and rejection of biased practices, materials and business associates. 

COVID-19 seemed unpredictable in late 2019 and early 2020.  The early denial and utter lack of a coordinated national response left the United States vulnerable and unprepared.  Different states and municipalities have pulled together response standards; PPE, tracing, acceptable hospitalization rates, testing protocols etc.  Economic pressure (not to be under-rated) has states and counties opening at different times and based on differing criteria.  Certainly, dense urban areas have differing risk factors than rural counties.  Hot spots, usually in dense work or living environs, can be anywhere; urban or rural. 

While getting folks back to work is laudable, and in some cases necessary, there are plenty of ways companies can uphold necessary safety requirements.  Even if your municipality doesn't require masks, masks still do a great job of decreasing the transmission of COVID-19.  How about all companies require masks by employee, clients, contractors etc.  And just because it is "okay" for an office to open, is it necessary in order to conduct business?  Plenty of white collar jobs have been done from home, with reasonable success.  

Many states, including Oregon, are seeing both higher positive tests and higher hospitalization rates right now. No,  it is not merely due to increased testing.  If that were the case, we wouldn't be seeing an increase (80% increase in hospitalizations since May).  That businesses are opening has nothing to do with safety, and everything to do with economics.  If your business can be done remotely, please keep that up.  Now is not the time to unnecessarily bring workers back in.  

Let's step it up.  In the absence of leadership, take some real responsibility, take meaningful action.

Some thoughts

This post is about racism.  These are some of my struggling thoughts these last days.

As a white woman of privilege, I'm really trying to listen, be supportive yet also express my anger and outrage at the systemic, relentless racism that continues to grip our nation.  It is not mine to tell black America how to feel or act; what forms of protest are best, more effective, more...acceptable.  It's not protest if its acceptable, is it?

My mother was raised in the Deep South, with all of then trappings in effect in the 40's and 50's.  As a young adult she heartily rejected then blatant racism of the south, and got out.  For her time, she was more aware of race and privilege than many.  She volunteered with "Women for Peace" in Chicago in the mid-sixties.  I have a vague childhood memory of seeing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak. I was so young, I was looking for the king, you know, with the crown and all.  I guess it speaks well for my mother, that she had held him in such esteem, I was looking for a king.  Mom mourned his death like none other.

Even with that upbringing, and some amount of awareness of racism and my white privilege, it is very easy for me to ignore, or conveniently be unaware of it.

My anger and outrage at the current state of America's racism,  aren't really the thing either. It's not about me. But, somewhere in that anger and outrage, I know, is buried some guilt.  It is not my first emotion, but it is there.  I'm anxious to use my  privilege to help.  I donate money. I read and listen.  I support local black owned businesses.  This is not enough.

Let me be clear, my anger is at the systemic racism.  Not at the protesters.  I don't love looting.  Some looting, I do see as a form of protest, based in anger, frustration and the system.  Looting has some power to it.  I do believe some looting is being perpetrated by folks who want to stir the pot; either to further the racial divide, or simply because they like the excitement.  And yes, I believe some looting is being done by opportunists, looting for the stuff.

Martin Luther King Jr, in writing about looting said," "Urban riots must now be recognized as durable social phenomena. They may be deplored, but they are there and should be understood. Urban riots are a special form of violence. They are not insurrections. The rioters are not seeking to seize territory or to attain control of institutions. They are mainly intended to shock the white community. They are a distorted form of social protest.

The looting which is their principal feature serves many functions. It enables the most enraged and deprived Negro to take hold of consumer goods with the ease the white man does by using his purse. Often the Negro does not even want what he takes; he wants the experience of taking. But most of all, alienated from society and knowing that this society cherishes property above people, he is shocking it by abusing property rights."

Martin Luther King also referenced this quote from Victor Hugo, 'If a soul is left in the darkness, sins will be committed. The guilty one is not he who commits the sin, but he who causes the darkness.'  Our society has caused the darkness' and clearly continues to cause, the darkness.

I am encouraged.  I am encouraged that we see the beginnings of change.  I am encouraged that, mis-guided and too little too late as some of it seems, at least we are talking.  I am encouraged at specific proposals especially as related to policing and police unions.  

I was touched (not oh how sweet touched, but feeling it in my gut touched) by the young man who introduced Barack Obama a few weeks ago, Playon Patrick, and his poem,  So many strong words in that piece, I was struck by, "Tonight, a riot is the language of the unheard".  Give a listen.

In a conversation the other day, an acquaintance (white, male) commented that he wasn't thrilled with Trimet (our regional public transportation) removing the transit police in response to the Black Lives Matters/George Floyd protests.  He said he would feel less safe riding public transportation.  I thought for a moment, and then pointed out the black community has not felt safe riding public transportation because of the transit police.  So yes, he'll need to endure a bit of his white privileged discomfort to help our black community's be safer on public transport.

There is so much more to come, and come I hope it does.  There will be (and should be) discomfort to those of us with privilege.  Our (my) discomfort should come as society shifts, opens and listens.  There should be change, which is often uncomfortable.  Bring it.

May's Portland area real estate report

Whoo wee.  Its a wild ride out there!

No question, COVID has had an affect, and has slowed the number of transactions we have.  That being said, from April 2020 to May 2020 we've seen a 20.1% increase in new listings, and a 52.5% increase in pending sales.  Wait, what?  No wonder buyers are having such a hard time getting offers accepted.  Yes, we are solidly back in the land of multiple offers, bidding wars and offers well above list price.

Add to that, a shortened market time, 38 days in May 2020, compared to 44 days in April 2020, and 61 days when compared with year to date stats from 2019.

Oh yes, and the median year to date price has gone up 4.1%, to $415,000, compared to the year to date price from 2019.  For perspective, median price increased 2.5% in all of 2019.

Read the RMLS report.

A few updates on lending: Interest rates remain quite low.  Jumbo loans, often needed on higher priced properties, do still exist.  As you might imagine, due to the rapid onset off COVID restrictions and job losses, lenders are a bit spooked.  We're seeing multiple employment verifications on active loan files (sometimes asking about the borrowers prospects of future employment), and self-employed borrowers are often required to provide audited profit and loss statements.

Forbearance, what originally might have looked like a generous offer from lenders on existing loans, has played out a bit differently.  Most lenders offered to suspend payments for three months, with the balance of those missed payments due at the end of the three months.  Not such a help afterall.  And, anyone with a loan in forebearance, will have trouble getting a new loan.  So...perhaps one might re-finance to take advantage of lower rates and lower one's house payment -  a financially responsible thing to do.  But wait, if you're current loan is in forbearance, you may not be eligible to do so.  If you even called to inquire about forbearance, but didn't sign any papers or complete any process, your loan may have been put in forbearance without you even knowing it.  You might should check.

Similarly,  many student loans were automatically put in forbearance, without the borrower even inquiring.  If so, your payments may not be applied to what would be the current payments.  If you have student loans, log on and check to be are all looks as it should.

This is very clearly, a great time to sell.  If you are thinking of doing so, get in touch.  Its a bit more challenging to be a buyer these days, though I do have some tried and true methods that get offers accepted.

Because of COVID, we are using distancing and other protocols.  Masks, booties, gloves, and hand washing stations all help keep us safe.  I have these supplies on hand.