Richard Rothstein is a research associate of the Economic Policy Institute. His forthcoming book, "The Color of Law," describes how public policy is designed to segregate metropolitan areas. He is also a fellow of the Thurgood Marshall Institute of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, which recently filed suit regarding the over-assessment of African American properties in Detroit, and the resulting epidemic of foreclosures and evictions. Richard can be reached at riroth@epi.org.