Nikitra Bailey

Nikitra Bailey is recognized for her advocacy in fair housing and equitable lending, with extensive experience in civil rights, consumer protection, and public policy. Bailey serves as executive vice president of the National Fair Housing Alliance, a national civil rights organization dedicated to eliminating housing discrimination and promoting equitable opportunities. In this role, Bailey leads the organization's public policy and communications divisions and contributes to resource development. The National Fair Housing Alliance addresses housing discrimination and promotes equitable housing opportunities through education, outreach, member services, advocacy, housing and community development, technology equity, enforcement, and compliance programs.

Prior to joining the National Fair Housing Alliance, Bailey held a leadership position at the Center for Responsible Lending, where she advanced public policy reforms to increase access to safe and responsible credit for individuals and communities underserved by the banking system, with a focus on people of color. Bailey directed mortgage policy advocacy and served as principal strategist for coalition partnerships across civil rights, faith, women, labor, and community organizations. Her efforts contributed to the passage of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bailey led advocacy efforts on the American Rescue Plan Act's Homeowner Assistance Fund, securing $10 billion in relief for homeowners, including support for socially disadvantaged individuals and fair housing initiatives.

Bailey's expertise encompasses predatory lending, mortgage discrimination, and systemic racial inequality in housing. She has authored numerous reports and articles on the impact of predatory lending on people of color and women, is a frequent media contributor, and has provided expert testimony to Congress on fair and affordable housing issues and reform of Government Sponsored Enterprises. Bailey has testified before congressional committees, including the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services and the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, addressing topics such as housing supply and civil rights protections. She played a key role in developing a proposal for a national Down Payment Assistance program aimed at closing wealth and homeownership gaps.

Bailey co-leads the Black Homeownership Collaborative's work stream on fair housing and consumer protection and serves on the board of directors for the National Institute for Minority Economic Development, North Carolina Housing Coalition, and Consumer Reports. She has also served on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Community Advisory Board. Bailey holds a Bachelor of Arts from Penn State University and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, and has completed leadership training at Harvard Kennedy School. Her legal background and policy expertise position her as a leading voice on the intersection of housing, race, and economic justice in the United States.