Diversity Inclusion Series: Emerging Topics in Appraisal Bias Webinar

Webinar Description

Tuesday, August 16, 2022
1:00pm - 2:30pm Eastern US

The next topic in the Diversity Inclusion Webinar Series, this presentation will feature two sessions. The first session is WithAction’s “Restorative Appraisals” Proposal. WithAction LLC’s winning proposal to the Brookings-Ashoka Innovation Challenge is one of three appraisal-centric solutions that won a grant from 54 proposals submitted.  While the two other appraisal-centric solutions focus on appraisal diversity or data collection algorithms, WithAction’s innovation is unique -- reforming the existing financing architecture with more flexible appraisal rules that would focus on comparing housing stock rather than neighborhoods.  These modifications will help restore value to underserved/underperforming communities.

The second session is the Philadelphia Appraisal Bias Task Force. While federally led reports on the topic of appraisal bias have lacked focus on proactive steps to help appraisers, the Philadelphia Appraisal Bias Task Force worked inclusively to make sure not only that the appraiser perspective was heard, but to incorporate action items that can benefit the appraisal profession in both the short and long term. Hear from Councilmember Cherelle Parker, who led this one-of-a-kind effort to look at appraisal bias from the municipal level, as well as Ira Goldstein, who facilitated the effort and its panel of local, state, and national contributors.

General Webinar Information

Important login information will be e-mailed to registrants prior to the webinar. 

System Requirements

To ensure the best ASA webinar experience, be sure to download the Zoom app on your device before the webinar begins.

Continuing Education (CE) Information

This webinar will award 1.5 ASA CE hours. 

Please note: this webinar has not been approved by any state appraisal boards and does not offer state CE hours.

Barbara Heise

Barbara Heise is a co-founder of WITH Action. She is a licensed real estate salesperson with RE/MAX Results in St Louis, Missouri. Barbara has been in the real estate industry since 1974. In addition to representing buyers and sellers, Barbara has expertise as a property developer, property manager and as an assistant to a mortgage banker. As a property manager, Barbara managed large residential apartment complexes in Ferguson, Ballwin and Creve Coeur, MO. Barbara and her husband Ron co-owned Century 21 Classic in the early 1990’s which was the largest Century 21 franchise in St Louis Mo. During that period Barbara was the relocation director.

Barbara Heise started selling residential real estate in 1969. The same year, University City neighborhoods north of the Delmar/Olive Divide were targeted by block busters. Barbara was dismayed at the greed and opportunism this was creating in these middle neighborhoods. She became active in local politics and got involved in the stabilization
of neighborhoods north of the Delmar Divide. As a co-owner of H2H LLC, which was a development company, she renovated many homes in the north area. The renovations were high quality and each time she had to struggle with the appraisals. Appraisers would not cross the Divide. Many of the people she sold homes to still live there. Now, she is fighting for them to get their values up to par with white areas. She is committed to help revive these declining neighborhoods so that occupants have the same opportunities as those in white neighborhoods.

Douglas A. Potts, MAI AI-GRS

Douglas Potts MAI, AI-GRS, is the founder of Delta Real Estate Analytics LLC, a real estate consulting startup specializing in valuation products and services for the financial sector.  

In 2020, Doug retired from his role as Chief Appraiser for Commerce Bank, a regional super-community bank with over $31 Billion in assets, 360 branches, and operations in 11 states.  He actively managed appraisal review and environmental due diligence, representing over $3 billion in annual loans.  

In 2022, Doug partnered with WithAction LLC, a collaborative seeking to reverse structural weakness in the St. Louis housing market.  Potts assisted WithAction LLC to be recognized as a Featured Innovator from the Brookings-Ashoka Innovation Challenge in the Economic Architecture initiative, being 1 of only 10 Innovators out of 54 submissions coast-to-coast.  Brookings-Ashoka has also isused a financial grant to continue research and activities toward creating a pilot financing program in St. Louis.  With Action LLC proposes reforms to improve the clarity and equity of appraisals of homes in Black Neighborhoods.  

Potts is a 2022-2023 member of the Appraisal Institute Strategic Planning Committee.  Previously he was the 2018-2021 Chair of the Appraisal Institute’s National Government Relations Committee.  Former service includes the AI 2017 National Nominating Committee and 2011-2016 as the AI Region 2 member of the Government Relations Committee.  He continues as a member of the AI Client Advisory Board.  Potts attended the 2006 and 2007 Leadership Development Advisory Councils and received the 2006 Anglyn Award.  He has also assisted in a variety of AI work groups, including the Body of Knowledge team for the AI-GRS designation program, and the AI President’s Diversity Panel.

Potts is also an active Appraisal Institute instructor for both license-qualifying and designation-qualifying courses and presented on several AI Webinars and at AI National Meetings from 2010 through 2022. 

Potts served on the Missouri Real Estate Appraisers Commission, with the Missouri Risk Based Corrective Action Workgroup, and with the Missouri Petroleum Storage Tank Insurance Fund Advisory Council.  Prior experience includes the St. Louis Development Corporation, as a Hearing Officer for the St. Louis County Board of Equalization, the Missouri Tax Commission; and as a fee appraiser with Ernest M. Potts, MAI.

Rosalind Williams, MUP

Rosalind Williams, MUP, University of Washington, 1971.  50 years creating healthy, sustainable, and equitable communities and the co-founder/president of WITH ACTION. In Ferguson, MO she initiated MO’s PACE legislation, and a Social Compact Drilldown to add value to North County’s black communities. She managed a variety of other housing programs – HIP, Urban Homesteading and acquisition/rehab/resell. Rosalind began her planning career in Ithaca, New York, where she helped create and fund Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, the first small city NHS.  She was awarded lifetime achievement awards from E/W Gateway Gov’t Council and St. Louis APA Chapter, in 2014. 

Rosalind Williams grew up in a segregated black community in Baton Rouge, LA. Because of her lived experience, she became an urban planner to solve problems and has dedicated her career to housing issues and improving the quality of life of black communities.  In Kirkwood, MO., as P&D Director, she completed the Meacham Park Commercial/Residential TIF. Money from the commercial project became the economic engine to revive an adjacent black community. She played a primary role in annexation and economic integration of the Meacham Park neighborhood, formerly a very poor black community adjacent to a more affluent Kirkwood, MO. The project used TIF funds to raise home values without displacing homeowners. She experienced more difficult housing issues in Ferguson, MO (north St. Louis Co.) due to segregation, a weak market, and persistent devaluation.   When she retired, she continued advocating for inclusive neighborhoods by co-founding WITH ACTION, which recently won a $100,000 award from the Brookings/Ashoka Challenge, for Restorative Appraisals, an innovative appraisal system that attempts to rectify historic devaluation of Black communities.