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This article focuses on black professionals' perceptions of career opportunities in the real estate industry and discrimination in housing markets. The analysis is based on a national survey of black real estate professionals administered between July and December of 2009. Findings from the article suggest that black real estate professionals adopt a business strategy scholars have referred to as the economic detour. Following this strategy, their business activities focus on a niche market confined to residential real estate transaction with black clientele in relatively segregated neighborhood contexts. The findings from this analysis suggest that this focus has emerged in response to perceptions of institutional discrimination that closes opportunities to black professionals in the broader real estate industry. Recommendations are made to address economic barriers faced by black professionals.

This article examines public administrators' perceptions of the effects of nonprofit networks on local affordable housing decisions. It builds on a larger body of research concerning the affordable housing activities of community-based organizations (CBOs). This analysis is based on a national survey of public administrators responsible for affordable housing programs in U.S. cities with populations over 100,000. The survey included questions about: CBO performance, factors influencing CBO funding decisions, and local government structure. This article provides insights into decision-making surrounding CBO funding at the local level. These insights improve our understanding of the connection between public administrators' perceptions, funding patterns, and interorganizational relations.

PurposeThis article aims to examine the mechanisms used by municipalities to stimulate public participation and, in part, to argue that contrasts between the socio‐economic make‐up of central cities in the USA and Canada explain these divergent techniques.Design/methodology/approachThe article is based on a survey of planning departments measuring the types of public participation strategies used by local governments.FindingsThe article's findings indicate that Canadian municipalities adopt a broader range of public participation techniques related to: voluntarism and public engagement, neighborhood and strategic planning, and e‐government. In contrast, the article's findings indicate that US municipalities are more likely to promote public participation through mechanisms such as annual community meetings and referendums on public issues.Research limitations/implicationsThe conclusion of the article offers recommendations for expanding the scope of public participation and developing strategies that maximize citizen input in community development activities in both countries.Practical implicationsThe survey was conducted to identify the scope of public participation techniques used by local governments in the Niagara region. One limitation of this methodology is that it does not gauge the effectiveness of the participation techniques used by local governments or the intensity of public engagement. However, the results from this study provide future researchers with a mechanism for focusing future analysis.Originality/valueThe findings can assist in identifying new directions for enhancing public participation in the USA and Canada.