Housing

Homeownership is a dream that has eluded many Asian Americans and NHPI in the South. Data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey indicate that Asian Americans in Atlanta, Dallas, and metropolitan Washington, DC have below-average rates of homeownership, and
NHPI often have homeownership rates comparable to those of Latinos and Blacks or African Americans. Both homeowners and renters struggle to find affordable housing, with many Asian Americans and NHPI spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs.

• Expand affordable rental housing and homeownership opportunities for Asian American and NHPI families throughout the South by providing greater access to capital, fi ancing, and education about tenants’ rights and the home-buying process.
• Enforce antidiscrimination laws and laws prohibiting fraud and predatory lending practices, which continue to harm immigrants and other vulnerable communities.
• Fund and expand housing counseling and consumer protection services, including those provided by
  community-based organizations and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Health

According to data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, Asian Americans throughout the region are less likely than Whites to have health insurance, with several Asian American ethnic groups among those least likely to be insured. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) has created greater opportunities to access affordable health coverage for many Asian Americans and NHPI, but improvements are still needed to ensure they are able to benefit from the expanded availability of health insurance.

• Conduct culturally and linguistically appropriate education and outreach to Asian American and NHPI communities about the ACA. Access to affordable health car coverage should be made available to all, including both documented and undocumented immigrants
• Ensure quality health care—including mental health services—for persons who are not fluent in English by removing barriers to enrollment and providing services in a linguistically and culturally appropriate manner.
• Support community-based outreach, health promotion, and prevention efforts, including services of community health workers. Maintain and expand funding for entities such as public hospitals and community health centers that serve underserved populations, including low- income individuals, LEP communities, immigrants, and rural populations.
• Broadly interpret and fully enforce the antidiscrimination provisions of the ACA.

Data Collection and Research

Data on growing Asian American and NHPI communities are critical to developing informed public policy. Because data on Asian Americans and NHPI as racial groups often mask social and economic diversity among ethnic groups, data disaggregated by ethnic group are essential to understand and serve these communities well.

• Require and fund standardized collection of race, ethnicity, and primary language data across all government agencies and in all public service sectors.
• Data collection is essential to track use and quality of care, document disparities, and tailor interventions.
• Ensure that research on Asian Americans and NHPI is disaggregated by ethnic group and by race.
• Oversample Asian Americans and NHPI by ethnic group and in small geographies to ensure data are accurate. Translate and administer survey instruments in Asian and Pacific Island languages and provide appropriate language assistance to respondents.