2022 National Conference - Advancing Fair Housing to Build an Inclusive Economy July 17-19, 2022
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2022 National Conference Advancing Fair Housing to Build an Inclusive Economy July 17-19, 2022 Grand Hyatt, Washington D.C.
From the Desk of the President and CEO Welcome, fair housing friends, to the National Fair Housing Alliance’s (NFHA) 2022 National Conference. If you turn on the news or read media headlines, it is difficult to ignore the reality that our nation is undergoing an extended moral stress test. We have been hit hard by successive challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken the lives of over 1 million people in the U.S. alone and has spawned devastation and economic dislocation throughout the country. We also continue to grapple with a racial reckoning that unfolded after the murder of George Floyd and countless others by law enforcement. We are shocked by acts of domestic terrorism, including the racially motivated mass shooting in Buffalo in May. As more information about this horrific act unfolds, we are learning more about how segregation facilitated this act of hate and violence. We also understand more clearly how the segregation of resources, redlining, and disinvestment is impacting Buffalo’s Black community, as the only full-service grocery store in the neighborhood where the shooting occurred was shuttered until this past week. And, of course, we were devastated by the senseless shooting of our children and teachers in Uvalde. Amid these trials, we have been able to pull together as a nation to help, comfort, and support one another. We have also been asking some very hard questions about what type of society we really want to be. Each new crisis compels and challenges us to take action so that we and our children can live in a nurturing, safe, healthy world. As stressors multiply, the unfinished work to address racial inequalities, as well as disparities in housing and lending, has been laid bare. A shrinking affordable rental housing market persists, racial homeownership and wealth gaps continue to widen, and home prices are out of reach for far too many. Entrenched policies that discriminate based on race, national origin, sex, familial status, disability, or LGBTQ+ status stubbornly endure, and access to credit by many would-be home purchasers remains unobtainable. With a national economic picture this dishearteningly bleak, implementing equity- and people-centered solutions will be critical to creating a healthy society, stabilizing communities, improving economic outcomes, and making our nation more globally productive and competitive. For the nation to begin healing from racial trauma, economic disparities, and persistent discrimination, we must implement inclusive policies and solutions that allow everyone to thrive and live in healthy communities. NFHA’s national conference will center around the policies, programs, and solutions that help achieve this end. This year’s conference also brings together thought leaders and provides a fertile space to spur innovation and impactful networking. Experts and activists will address solutions for ensuring an equitable recovery for communities of color and assessing homeowner and rental assistance programs developed in response to the pandemic. Further, this conference features trending topics such as appraisal reform; Special Purpose Credit Programs; First Generation Down Payment Assistance Programs; the newest fair housing investigation and testing methodologies; state-of-the-art education and outreach techniques; and the latest developments in building fair, explainable, transparent, and accessible technologies. We value your participation and commitment to ensuring that the promise of fairness and equality that we claim as our American birthright can be achieved. We can and will overcome the problems we face if we all focus on the dual outcomes that the Fair Housing Act was passed to advance — eliminating housing discrimination and building diverse, stable communities where people have ready access to the resources they need to thrive. Sincerely, Lisa Rice, President and CEO National Fair Housing Alliance 1
COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Requirements • Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination (and booster as appropriate) must be uploaded prior to check-in for the conference. • Proof of negative COVID-19 test prior to travel must be uploaded prior to check-in for the conference. • Daily COVID self-testing is required; please upload your test result each day. Your confirmation will be scanned prior to entry to the event. • Temperature checks will be conducted when your test result is scanned each day. • Upon a successful COVID test scan and temperature check, you will receive a new wrist band each day, which will allow you entry to all sessions that day. There is a different wrist band for each day of the conference. • Wearing of N95 or KN95 masks over nose and mouth is required, except when eating or drinking; however, speakers will not wear masks while presenting. You should wear a new mask each day of the conference. • You will be removed from a session if you are not wearing your mask properly; no refunds will be issued if you are removed from the event for non-compliance with COVID requirements. • If you have any symptoms of illness or a positive COVID test, do not come to the event. Text 703-623-0853 if you are ill and need assistance. NFHA’S Commitment to Accessibility The National Fair Housing Alliance is committed to providing the greatest accessibility within its means in all its projects, programs, meetings, and conferences. We are proud to partner once again this year with the World Institute on Disability (WID). Please visit the WID Concierge Desk located near check-in for assistance during the conference. For the safety and comfort of those with chemical and environmental sensitivities, please refrain from using any perfumed grooming products such as scented soaps, deodorants, perfumes, and colognes. In addition, it is essential that we maintain a smoke-free environment. 2 National Fair Housing Alliance 1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 650, Washington, D.C. 20004 | (202) 898-1661 | www.nationalfairhousing.org #NFHA2022NationalConference
Conference Agenda SUNDAY, JULY 17 1:30 PM – 1:45 PM | Welcome and Poetry Performance Location: Independence A Welcome — Keenya Robertson, Housing Opportunities Project for Excellence; Board Chair, National Fair Housing Alliance Poetry Performance — Pages Matam, Cultural Ambassador, National Fair Housing Alliance 1:45 PM – 2:45 PM | Plenary Session More than Recovery: Ensuring Equitable Restoration for Communities of Color Location: Independence A Moderator: Susan Thomas, Melville Charitable Trust Speakers: Ismael Guerrero, President and CEO, Mercy Housing Tony Pickett, Chief Executive Officer, Grounded Solutions Network Lisa Rice, President and CEO, National Fair Housing Alliance Marietta Rodriguez, President and CEO, NeighborWorks Dr. Akilah Watkins-Butler, President and CEO, Center for Community Progress COVID-19 devastated communities of color, many of which had not bounced back from the foreclosure crisis and Great Recession at the time the national pandemic was declared. The current K-shaped recovery is further exacerbating economic inequality. 4 National Fair Housing Alliance 1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 650, Washington, D.C. 20004 | (202) 898-1661 | www.nationalfairhousing.org #NFHA2022NationalConference
As a nation, we can either resign ourselves to allowing this disturbing pattern to continue or we can be change agents—dismantling unjust systems and designing and implementing solutions that ensure underserved groups emerge from the pandemic and economic crisis stronger and on firmer footing. Join the CEO Circle, a network of national fair housing and community development leaders of color, as they discuss on the ground solutions that can result in a more equitable recovery for COVID-19’s hardest-hit families and stimulate inclusive growth. 2:45 PM – 3:00 PM | Break 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM | Key Fair Housing Cases Update Location: Independence A Facilitators: Diane Houk, Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel, LLP Olatunde Johnson, Columbia Law Speakers: Christopher Brancart, Brancart & Brancart Scott Chang, National Fair Housing Alliance Megan Confer-Hammond, Fair Housing Partnership of Greater Pittsburgh Liza Cristol-Deman, Brancart & Brancart Laura Gaztambide-Arandes, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Lynn Grosso, U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development Reyna Lubin, Eisenberg & Baum, LLP Lila Miller, Relman Colfax PLLC Justin Monteiro, National Fair Housing Alliance Carrie Pagnucco, U.S. Department of Justice Caroline Peattie, Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California Sara Pratt, Relman Colfax, PLLC Kevin Quisenberry, Community Justice Project Brady Ripperger, Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana Keenya Robertson, President and CEO, HOPE Miami, FL Andrew Rozynski, Eisenberg & Baum, LLP Sam Shapiro, Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel, LLP 5 National Fair Housing Alliance 1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 650, Washington, D.C. 20004 | (202) 898-1661 | www.nationalfairhousing.org #NFHA2022NationalConference
Yiyang Wu, Relman Colfax, PLLC Jay Young, Southwest Fair Housing Council A favorite feature, this annual update will review notable fair housing cases since October of 2021. This session will include case overviews, outcomes, and interviews with many of the fair housing advocates and attorneys directly involved in the investigating and litigation. MONDAY, JULY 18 8:00 AM – 8:45 AM | Continental Breakfast Location: Independence Foyer 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM | Fireside Chat Fair Algorithms as Pathways to an Inclusive Economy Location: Independence A Rohit Chopra, Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Lisa Rice, President and CEO, National Fair Housing Alliance Past and present historical barriers, such as residential segregation, redlining, and the dual credit market, drive disparities in our housing and lending markets. People of color are either misrepresented or under-represented in data-driven algorithmic systems including automated underwriting, credit scoring, and risk-based pricing models. Moreover, data used to develop algorithmic models carry with it centuries of discriminatory practices. The bias is embedded in the data. Adopting consumer- centric fair algorithms can serve as a pathway to a more inclusive economy and advance equitable opportunities for all, especially people of color. 6 National Fair Housing Alliance 1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 650, Washington, D.C. 20004 | (202) 898-1661 | www.nationalfairhousing.org #NFHA2022NationalConference
This discussion between CFPB Director Rohit Chopra and NFHA President CEO Lisa Rice will delve into policies and actions that can promote a fairer marketplace, increase transparency and explainability in algorithms, and foster economic growth. 9:30 AM – 10:45 AM | Plenary Technology as the New Frontier in an Inclusive Economy Location: Independence A Moderator: Dr. Michael Akinwumi, Chief Tech Equity Officer, National Fair Housing Alliance Speakers: Jo Ann Barefoot, Alliance for Innovative Regulation Richard Cooperstein, Andrew Davidson & Co., Inc Melissa Koide, FinRegLabs Kareem Saleh, FairPlay AI Legacies of once-legal discriminatory policies by banks, insurance companies, and real estate brokers manifest in discriminatory data that drive housing systems that perpetuate segregation. While policies like redlining, blockbusting, racial zoning, steering, and restrictive covenants are no longer legal, their effects persist in housing data, and these data could covertly or inadvertently be used to perpetuate discrimination. Algorithmic systems like facial recognition, predictive policing, and credit scoring have been shown to put people of color at a disadvantage, and these systems have outcomes that collectively impede access to fair housing. Could technology be used to provide equitable access to housing and economic opportunities? Can we use technology to drive housing systems under which consumers have transparent and equitable access to housing and other economic opportunities? This panel discussion will explore how data-driven systems may serve as catalysts for impediments to inclusive housing systems. 10:45 AM – 11:00 AM | Break 7 National Fair Housing Alliance 1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 650, Washington, D.C. 20004 | (202) 898-1661 | www.nationalfairhousing.org #NFHA2022NationalConference
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM | Concurrent Workshop 1 Forging Ahead in Uncertain Times Location: Independence BCDE Moderator: Ken Scott, Counsel, Relman Colfax, PLLC Speakers: Steve Dane, Dane Law LLC Jesselyn McCurdy, Leadership Conference Sarah Warbelow, Human Rights Campaign Recent Supreme Court and other court decisions have caused uncertainty about the path forward for civil rights for women, people of color, and other protected groups. This session will feature a discussion and Q&A with leading civil rights leaders on strategies to preserve and even advance rights for people and communities. These seasoned advocates will discuss lessons learned from previous struggles and how to develop strategies for achieving an equitable future. 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM | Concurrent Workshop 2 Boost Your Social Media: Framing the Narrative and Crafting Winning Messages to Influence Audiences and Increase Engagement Location: Farragut/Lafayette Moderator: Dr. Tiffany Manuel, The Case Made Speakers: Meghan Dellinger, The CauseWay Agency Nafia Khan Lee, HOPE Fair Housing Center Mark Luckie, NAACP Legal Defense Fund During the COVID-19 pandemic, as people were stuck inside their homes, many relied on social media for news, entertainment, and everything in between. Some of us could scroll endlessly through Facebook, Zoom, Instagram, Twitter, SnapChat, LinkedIn, and TikTok. 8 National Fair Housing Alliance 1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 650, Washington, D.C. 20004 | (202) 898-1661 | www.nationalfairhousing.org #NFHA2022NationalConference
If there was a message to be shared, especially among younger generations, it was likely on one of the platforms. With so many different ways for outreach, is your organization utilizing them for education? If so, how does you use them, and are you reaching as many people as you would like? Do you know which platforms work best for your fair housing message, be it your calendar of events, your blog posts, press releases or research? How do you monitor and maintain your social media presence? In this workshop, you will learn not only how to set up your social media for various messages, but how to boost it through targeted marketing for maximum effectiveness for outreach that is more dynamic, impactful, and fun. 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM | Concurrent Workshop 3 Possibilities in Efficient Evidence-Gathering on Listing Sites (Open to NFHA operating members only) Location: Independence FGHI Moderator: Shivaughn Ferguson, National Fair Housing Alliance Speakers: Dr. Michael Akinwumi, National Fair Housing Alliance Diane Houk, Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel, LLP Justin Monteiro, National Fair Housing Alliance During this session, NFHA’s Enforcement and Tech Equity teams will explore fair housing investigations of today and yesterday, contrasting some of the “modern” impact cases NFHA and its members have brought—Fannie Mae, Meta f/k/a Facebook, and Redfin—with more “traditional” testing investigations. Jumping off from these modern cases, they leap into the future and explore some of the tools and technologies that fair housing centers of 2030 can leverage (today!, and they will explore how automated extraction can be used to create data sets from unstructured online data and analyzed for potential fair housing issues. They will focus on the real-life example of extracting data from property listings. They’ll wrap up by discussing both big picture ideas and baby steps that fair housing centers can take today to ensure their enforcement programs have the mindset and infrastructure to make this long-term change. We still need 9 National Fair Housing Alliance 1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 650, Washington, D.C. 20004 | (202) 898-1661 | www.nationalfairhousing.org #NFHA2022NationalConference
classical testing, but the future requires investigators to adapt to confront a rapidly changing reality. 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM | Fair Housing Awards Luncheon Poetry Performance — Pages Matam, Cultural Ambassador, National Fair Housing Alliance, introduced by Allan Lazo, Fair Housing Council of Oregon Sponsor Appreciation — John Petruszak, South Suburban Housing Center and 2nd VP of the NFHA Board of Directors Presentation of the President’s Award to Diane Cipollone — Lisa Rice, President and CEO, NFHA Membership Appeal — Daniel Bustamante, Greater Houston Fair Housing Center and NFHA Board Member 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM | Break 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM | Concurrent Workshop 1 (Two Parts) Location: Independence BCDE Keeping the Bank and Sherriff at Bay: Assessing Homeowner and Rental Assistance Programs Developed in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic Early in the pandemic, advocates worked tirelessly to secure mortgage forbearance protections and long-term assistance through the Homeowner Assistance Fund to help distressed homeowners keep their homes, and Emergency Rental Assistance to stave off evictions for people hardest hit by COVID-19. These efforts have paid off: we have not seen the tsunami of foreclosures and evictions that many predicted would occur. Still, both programs have struggled to get off the ground and advocates continue to identify challenges and push for improvements. There are many lessons to be learned about how these programs were designed and administered at the federal level and how they have been implemented on the ground by states and localities. 10 National Fair Housing Alliance 1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 650, Washington, D.C. 20004 | (202) 898-1661 | www.nationalfairhousing.org #NFHA2022NationalConference
Please join a two-part panel discussion to explore these program lessons and determine how best to ensure HAF and ERA-type programs can be more equitably designed and implemented moving forward. 3:00 PM – 4:15 PM | Part 1: Homeowner Assistance Fund Opening Remarks: Courtney Hodapp, JP Morgan Chase Moderator: Debby Goldberg, National Fair Housing Alliance Speakers: Alia Fierro, U.S. House Financial Services Committee Will Corbett, U.S. Department of Treasury Dina Levy, New York Housing and Community Renewal Claudia Wilson Randall, Community Development Network of Maryland 4:15 PM – 5:30 PM | Part 2: Emergency Rental Assistance Programs Moderator: Charles Rutheiser, Annie E. Casey Foundation Speakers: Erin Hahn, Texas Housers Monica Jefferson, Housing Opportunities Made Equal of VA, Inc. Vikram Patel, Community Legal Services 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM | Concurrent Workshop 2 (Two Parts) Location: Farragut/Lafayette 3:00 PM – 4:15 PM | Part 1: The Good, the Bad, and the Exceptional: Hosting Incredible Virtual Events that Wow! Moderator: Darlene English, National Fair Housing Alliance 11 National Fair Housing Alliance 1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 650, Washington, D.C. 20004 | (202) 898-1661 | www.nationalfairhousing.org #NFHA2022NationalConference
Speakers: Elana Eden, Housing Rights Center Marley Hochendoner, Northwest Fair Housing Alliance Izzy Woodruff, National Fair Housing Alliance Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations have had to make significant changes to how they disseminate information and promote fair housing education. However, this also provides new opportunities for dynamic outreach that engages with wider and varying audiences. What is a virtual event and how do you host one? What is the best platform to use? Be it Facebook Live, Zoom, Webex, GoToMeeting, or Tweetstorms, in this workshop you’ll learn how to streamline registrations, set clear goals, choose the right platform, troubleshoot, and make your virtual event accessible, inclusive, and incredible! 4:15 PM – 5:30 PM | Part 2: From Art to Enforcement: Utilizing Creative Mediums to Amplify Your Fair Housing Message Speakers: Jordan Abbott, Data Analyst Megan Confer-Hammond, Fair Housing Partnership of Greater Pittsburgh Judy Metey, City of White Plains Sena Mourad Friedman, Toledo Fair Housing Harrison K. Smith, Artist Moderator: Caroline Peattie, Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California Robust Education and Outreach (E&O) efforts are essential to strong enforcement of the Fair Housing Act. Private fair housing organizations increase public awareness of discriminatory housing practices through E&O projects, including art. From exhibitions to documentary films, the arts can be used to elevate fair housing education and outreach to new heights and amplify the messaging in ways not previously considered. In this panel, presenters discuss how their projects created conversations and even enforcement actions, as well as promoted awareness of housing discrimination and unequal treatment in appraisals and the rental housing market. Time will be allotted for audience members to share ways they have used the creative arts to advance fair housing to make an inclusive economy. 12 National Fair Housing Alliance 1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 650, Washington, D.C. 20004 | (202) 898-1661 | www.nationalfairhousing.org #NFHA2022NationalConference
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM | Concurrent Workshop 3 Face Value: Legal Standards and Investigative Approaches for Uncovering and Assessing Appraisal Bias under the Fair Housing Act (Open to NFHA Operating Members only) Location: Independence FGHI Moderator: Cashauna Hill, Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center Speakers: Katina Combs, Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing & Opportunity Council Dr. Nathan Connolly, Johns Hopkins University Liza Cristol-Deman, Brancart & Brancart LLP Julia Howard-Gibbon, Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California Hugh J. McGlincy, U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development Join a panel of fair housing advocates to learn how the law applies to appraisal discrimination and what is needed to investigate appraisal bias and bring meaningful enforcement. Part one of the panel will cover the legal framework regarding appraisal discrimination, including which laws and regulations apply to residential appraisals and appraisers and how they apply. Part one will also delve into existing case law and what fair housing attorneys are looking for in a good appraisal discrimination case. Part two will discuss approaches to investigating appraisal discrimination with this legal framework in mind. Panelists will focus on the elements needed to bring an enforcement action under the relevant laws, as well as obstacles that fair housing investigators may face during their investigations. The workshop will end with a facilitated case study breakout session. See NFHA’s recent federally-commissioned report for more information on bias and systemic barriers in real estate appraisals. 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM | Reception Location: Independence A 13 National Fair Housing Alliance 1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 650, Washington, D.C. 20004 | (202) 898-1661 | www.nationalfairhousing.org #NFHA2022NationalConference
TUESDAY, JULY 19 8:00 AM – 8:45 AM | Continental Breakfast Location: Independence Foyer 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM | Plenary Sessions Location: Independence A 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM | Fair and Affordable Homeownership: The Need to Expand Access through Equitable Opportunities Opening Remarks: Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) Introduction: Vincent Curry, Fair Housing Advocates Association Featured Remarks: Secretary Marcia L. Fudge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fifty-four years after enactment of the landmark Fair Housing Act, the Black/White and Latino/White homeownership gaps are as large as they were when redlining was legal. Moreover, the homeownership rate for Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native communities remains persistently lower than the rate for White households. Secretary Fudge will discuss the Biden/Harris Administration’s focus on creating racial equity in homeownership. 10:00 AM – 10:15 AM | Break 10:15 AM – 11:15 AM | Appraisal Reform Now! Strategies for Fair, Transparent, Data- Driven Valuations Opening Remarks: Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) Moderator: Faith Schwartz, Housing Finance Strategies 14 National Fair Housing Alliance 1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 650, Washington, D.C. 20004 | (202) 898-1661 | www.nationalfairhousing.org #NFHA2022NationalConference
Speakers: Dr. Andre M. Perry, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution Melody Taylor, Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE) Maureen Yap, National Fair Housing Alliance An appraisal is one of the keys to homeownership, and fair and unbiased appraisals are a critical component of the strategy to eliminate our country’s enormous racial gaps in homeownership and wealth. Recent findings have raised alarms about racial bias in the appraisal industry and identified serious flaws in the structure of the industry that may help perpetuate that bias. This session will explore those findings and discuss strategies for reforming the appraisal industry to ensure greater accuracy and fairness in appraisals. 11:15 AM – 11:30 AM | Break 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | The Case for Race Conscious Solutions to Stop Housing Injustice: Special Purpose Credit Programs and Down Payment Assistance for First Generation Homeowners Moderator: Nikitra Bailey, National Fair Housing Alliance Opening Remarks: Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) Introduction: Gail Williams, Metro Fair Housing Services (Atlanta) and NFHA Board Member Speakers: Robert Broeksmit, Mortgage Bankers Association Patrice Ficklin, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Ricardo Flores, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) San Diego Pamela Perry, Freddie Mac The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) permits the use of Special Purpose Credit Programs (SPCPs) by for-profit and non-profit organizations to increase mortgage lending to underserved communities. Recently, HUD issued guidance stating SPCPs that comply with ECOA advance 15 National Fair Housing Alliance 1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 650, Washington, D.C. 20004 | (202) 898-1661 | www.nationalfairhousing.org #NFHA2022NationalConference
the goals of the Fair Housing Act. The National Fair Housing Alliance and other racial justice groups have called for programs that benefit First-Generation homebuyers as a means of advancing equity. Researchers project there are millions of mortgage-ready borrowers of color who have not been able to adequately access credit. During this panel, you will hear from regulatory, non-profit, and housing finance leaders about ways existing tools can be catalysts for change and help close the racial homeownership and wealth gaps. 12:30 PM | Conference Adjourns 16 National Fair Housing Alliance 1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 650, Washington, D.C. 20004 | (202) 898-1661 | www.nationalfairhousing.org #NFHA2022NationalConference
Building Stronger Communities At JPMorgan Chase, we are committed to our communities and work with a diverse group of partners to provide creative and innovative solutions that respond to community development, inclusive economic growth and affordable housing needs. We are proud to participate in these efforts and support the National Fair Housing Alliance. jpmorganchase.com/impact © 2022 JPMorgan Chase & Co.
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