Category Archives: Blog

HUD Offers Guidance on Reducing Discrimination Due to Criminal Background Screenings

Stable housing is arguably the most foundational aspect in a person’s life. Unfortunately, for individuals who have had involvement with the criminal legal system, safe, fair, and affordable housing is often out of reach. For people of color, specifically Black and Hispanic Americans with criminal records, those barriers are experienced at disproportionate rates. These barriers […]

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LGBTQ+ Americans Deserve Access to Fair Housing

Across the country, LGBTQ+ Americans are more likely to experience housing discrimination and homelessness than those who are straight and cisgender. If you’ve ever attended a workshop by the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH), you’ve probably learned that – contrary to popular belief – being LGBTQ+ is not a risk factor for homelessness. […]

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This AAPI Heritage Month, Support Fair Housing for Asian Americans.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have long faced discrimination in the United States. While this discrimination didn’t start with the COVID-19 pandemic, the hateful and xenophobic rhetoric that has circulated over the past two years certainly hasn’t helped. One area that we have seen an increase in discrimination against the AAPI community is in housing. […]

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How Does Your Housing Impact Your Health?

Your zip code is a better predictor of your health than your genetic code. Melody Goodman, assistant professor at Washington University There is no doubt that a person’s health outcomes are impacted by their housing. In many cases, the physical structure of a person’s home is actively making them sick and causing health problems. Aging homes […]

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5 Ways to Increase Your Knowledge This Fair Housing Month

Each April, Fair Housing Month is celebrated to reaffirm our commitment to ending housing discrimination and to commemorate the passage of the federal Fair Housing Act in 1968. This month can be celebrated in a number of ways, including getting involved with fair housing advocacy efforts in your community, committing to learning more about fair […]

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Identifying and Addressing Appraisal Discrimination

Last month on our blog, we talked about the dangers of whitewashing history. This month, we’re discussing the unfortunate reality of Black homeowners who have resorted to whitewashing their homes in order to receive a fair appraisal estimate, as we shed light on bias in the real estate appraisal industry. What is appraisal discrimination? For […]

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The future of fair housing depends on knowing the past.

February marks the start of Black History Month — a time to honor the triumphs and struggles of African Americans throughout U.S. history. This history should be studied and remembered, not only this month, but year-round. For civil rights advocates, understanding American history — which includes Black history — is a necessary part of social […]

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Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research and Other Fair Housing Groups Reach Historic Settlement with Fannie Mae Focused on Rebuilding Communities of Color

The settlement will directly and immediately benefit the communities of color throughout the Greater Cleveland region and nationwide hit hardest by the foreclosure crisis and its aftermath. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 7, 2022, Media Contact: Carrie Pleasants | 216-361-9240, x204 | cpleasants@thehousingcenter.org Cleveland, OH — Today, the Housing Research & Advocacy Center dba Fair Housing […]

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December is Universal Human Rights Month

Between all of the national and global observances, it can seem like every day is some sort of holiday. In the month of December alone, there are 16 month-long observances and 14 religious holidays (not to mention days like Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day on December 18). But one of the lesser […]

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Cleveland Needs to Make Renter Rights a Priority

For years now, local housing advocates have been stressing the importance of increased renter rights, like Source of Income protections and Pay to Stay legislation. As Cleveland prepares to elect a new Mayor, expanding renter rights in the City might finally be a possibility. Renters make up 60% of Cleveland households, yet the City is […]

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It’s Time to Address Reentry Housing Needs

Across the U.S., more than 600,000 people are released from state and federal prisons each year. Unfortunately, barriers to housing make it difficult — and sometimes nearly impossible — for many returning citizens to find a home to return to. But local reentry housing advocates, as well as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban […]

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