Vice President Kamala Harris Talks Fighting Inflation, Black Homeownership, And More On ‘Club Shay Shay’

On Oct. 28, Vice President Kamala Harris visited Club Shay Shay to discuss her vision for moving America forward. In a candid conversation with host Shannon Sharpe, the first Black vice president shared that if she became president, she would relentlessly work to combat inflation, a key factor driving up living costs. She explained that the first step in tackling inflation would be to address price gouging, which often escalates during crises such as the pandemic or natural disasters.

Earlier this month, Harris unveiled her ambitious New Way Forward initiative. If elected, the plan would implement the first-ever federal ban on price gouging, setting clear guidelines to prevent large corporations from taking advantage of consumers during crises to artificially inflate food and grocery prices.

“I did it when I was attorney general. I’m gonna do it as president,” Harris declared on Club Shay Shay. 

She wants to create a downpayment fund for first-time homebuyers.

The California native also shared with Sharpe her strategy for addressing the barriers that often hinder Black families from becoming homeowners, including measures to combat redlining and discriminatory practices related to the GI Bill. The 60-year-old Democrat proposed establishing a $25,000 fund to help first-time Black homebuyers with their down payment costs. Harris hopes the move will give “Black folks equal opportunity to homeownership.”

According to the Urban Institute, the Black homeownership rate rose by 2 percentage points from 2019 to 2021, increasing from 42.2% to 44.2% as interest rates hit historic lows during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent data for 2022 shows continued growth, though the rate remains significantly lower than that of other demographics.

Harris has a plan for soaring rent costs.

With rent prices soaring nationwide, Harris plans to extend her price-gouging philosophy into dealing with the issue of unaffordable housing. 

“In places across our country, these corporations are buying up all these properties, which means that they don’t have to deal with competition…and they’re jacking up rent costs,” the politician told Sharpe during her appearance Monday. “So, it’s about also going after that corporate gouging around what they’re doing to buy up and then jack up the prices of rent.”

Here’s what a day in the life of the Vice President looks like.

Campaigning is demanding work. Harris shared that she often puts in 14 to 15-hour days, making her morning workouts a priority as the only time she has to herself. She frequently travels to multiple cities in a single day, participating in rallies with thousands of supporters and engaging with local leaders.

“These days, it’s not unusual for me to be in three or even four cities in one day, rallies with 1000s of people, 10,000 people showing up, making calls to folks,” she shared.

In Atlanta, she stressed the importance of empowering citizens to use their voices and urged them not to allow anyone to suppress their participation in the democratic process, especially with just 12 days left until the election.

“I’ll talk with elected leaders who are supportive, for example, here in Atlanta, what do we need to do to make sure that we’re giving folks the resources to knock on doors and remind folks of the power of their voice?” Harris said of her strategy to mobilize and empower voters. 

Watch Harris’ full Club Shay Shay interview above.

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