You need to find a black person to go into business with you and get contracts from your local public housing authority. The Porkulus bill just showered billions on local PHAs for renovations and capital improvements. So the welfare moms can get brand new kitchens, but I can't get a home equity loan now to redo my kitchen.
What a country.
A lot of that has been going on for a while. The “projects” are torn down and replaced with rather attractive sorts of semi-detached “cluster” type houses. Once - and only once - did I ever get involved with any kind of government contract. A minority contractor had ordered countertops from me and dropped the ball in the middle of the project. The counters had already been produced and, in order to get them out of the shop, I had to take over that portion of the contract. The state pays ridiculously inflated prices. That I can guarantee because I made 3 times my normal profit on the deal. But, you’re right, unless you’re a “minority contractor” or somebody’s brother-in-law, you ain’t gonna get the job.