Category Archives: Latest News

Housing Center Files HUD Complaint Against Fannie Mae Over Neglected Properties

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) and 19 local fair housing organizations announced the filing with HUD of a housing discrimination complaint against Fannie Mae, one of the largest owners of foreclosed homes in the United States. The civil rights groups allege that Fannie Mae maintains and markets its foreclosures (also known as real estate owned or “REO” properties) in White neighborhoods consistently better than in middle- and working-class African American and Latino neighborhoods, a practice that violates the federal Fair Housing Act. The complaint is the result of a five-year investigation.

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Higher demand, lower wages reduces ‘buying power’ for Cleveland-area renters – By Judy Stringer, Cleveland.com

May 10, 2015

If it seems harder to find your dream apartment – or afford it – you are not imagining things.

In Cuyahoga County, the overall demand for rental housing is increasing, according to a recently released report from the Cleveland-based Housing Research and Advocacy Center. The Housing Center’s analysis finds that while the county’s population dipped 8 percent between 2000 and 2010, those that remained and new residents showed an increasing preference for renting. In that time period, owner-occupied housing fell 8 percent and renter-occupied housing increased 1.3 percent.

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Alert – Independence Realtor Training Relocated to Independence Civic Center

Please note that due to a heating problem, the Independence Realtor Training that will be held on Thursday, February 26, at 12:30 will not be held at the library. It will be held at the Independence Civic Center which is adjacent to the library. We are sorry for any inconvenience. Parking is available in the […]

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Ashtabula County Rental Factbook 2015 Released

The 2015 Ashtabula County Rental Factbook offers helpful information for housing providers and consumers about affordable housing and renters in Ashtabula County. Research Associate Michael Lepley, Research Intern Khalid Ali, and Senior Research Associate Mandy Mehlman a provide a useful snapshot of rental housing and demographic information for every city. The Housing Research & Advocacy […]

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New Cuyahoga County Rental Factbook Released

The new Cuyahoga County Rental Factbook promises to be a resource that housing professionals, advocates and consumers will want to keep close at hand. Readers will find a substantial amount of detailed demographic and housing information about Cuyahoga County and all of its communities that could be useful for planning, research and advocacy efforts. The […]

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Fair Housing Education Opportunities Abound

This spring the Housing Center will present a number of fair housing educational opportunities – workshops, seminars, presentations and a fair. Please take a look at our Events page to find a program that is convenient for you. Many of our programs offer continuing education credits, too. Programs are added regularly, so please check back […]

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Please join us for some “sweet celebrations”!

On February 24th please join us for some “sweet celebrations” and coffee and learn more about the work of the Housing Research & Advocacy Center to promote equal housing access in Northeast Ohio. Please RSVP to Dale Rene, Administrative Coordinator, at drene@thehousingcenter.org or (216) 361-9240.

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Know Your Rights: Disparate Impact Blog Posts and NFHA Resources

On January 21^st, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. The Inclusive Communities Project, Inc.  The question before the court is whether the disparate impact standard can be used under the Fair Housing Act.  In short, disparate impact says that a policy that appears neutral on its face may be discriminatory if it has a disproportionate negative impact on members of a protected class under the Fair Housing Act.

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Westfield Insurance Partners with the Housing Center to Advance Equal Opportunities in Housing

The Housing Center is expanding its consumer education program through a grant from Westfield Insurance, to reach more low-and moderate-income individuals, increase equal access to housing opportunities, and revitalize communities. Each year in Northeast Ohio, there are over 33,000 instances (reported and unreported) of housing discrimination. Many people do not know that fair housing laws […]

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Equality Ohio Supports New LGBTQ Brochure

Equality Ohio has generously supported the creation of a new brochure for consumers: Fair Housing for the LGBTQ Community. The brochure is available on the Housing Center’s website at https://www.thehousingcenter.org/publications/brochures/ A map illustrating the communities that include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes accompanies the brochure posting. The Housing Center is grateful to […]

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Thank you for sharing our commitment to equal opportunities in housing this year

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House CR-Omnibus Funds FHIP at $40.1 Million for FY15 and Preserves Key Fair Housing Rules

 National Fair Housing Alliance – Press Release – 12/11/14 – Late Tuesday, night, the House of Representatives filed a spending package, or “CR-Omnibus” that includes $53.8 billion for Transportation, Housing and Urban Development keeps funding for FHIP at $40.1 million, keeping the program at level funding for FY15!

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We are grateful for your support

Recent high profile events have brought race relations to the forefront of our consciousness. The Housing Center believes that when given the opportunity to live together in diverse communities, the belief in stereotypes decreases, and when interacting with one another on an individual basis, we’re less likely to profile people based on race. Fair housing […]

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Freedom from Discrimination Benefits Everyone

Diverse, thriving communities are crucial to our national prosperity in the 21st century. Access to a safe and affordable home near quality schools and employment is central to the American Dream. When it comes to building strong communities, we’re all in it together.

It’s common sense that we should challenge barriers to equality and fairness and look for better ways of doing things. That’s core to who we are as Americans, and it strengthens all communities.

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