Category Archives: Latest News
NFHA Urges Ohio Senate to Reject Radical Anti-Civil Rights Bill
Senate Bill 349 Would Make It Easier to Discriminate in Housing
WASHINGTON, DC – A proposed bill in the Ohio Senate would make it easier for landlords and others to discriminate in housing and not to be held accountable for their actions. It would also cost the State at least $1 million in lost federal funding. Shanna L. Smith, President and CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance, issued the following statement calling for the Ohio Senate to reject this radical measure:
“All people should have equal access to housing they can afford. Senate Bill 349 would replace Ohio’s long standing strong law with only a slap on the wrist for banks, real estate companies, landlords, and apartment owners who discriminate. Senate Bill 349 would weaken the ability of Ohio’s civil rights organizations and neighborhood groups to hold accountable those who discriminate against neighborhoods, people with disabilities, families with children, women, people of color, and many others.”
(more…)Third Annual Rock the Block 5K! at Edgewater Park
Registration is now open for the Housing Center’s 3rd Annual Rock the Block 5K Run and 1 Mile Walk. The race will be help on Saturday, September 27, 2014 at Edgewater Park. New this year is the option to register for teams of six. So gather your co-workers for an office challenge, or enlist family […]
Consumer Alert!
The City of Cleveland issued a CONSUMER ALERT regarding remodeling contractors who convince seniors that their homes can be repaired and/or remodeled for free without the consequences of a loan or mortgage. Read the Consumer Alert here: http://clecityhall.com/2014/06/05/consumer-alert-home-equity-stripping-scams/
NFHA Announces Fair Housing Videos for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
The National Fair Housing Alliance, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, announced the creation of 12 fair housing/fair lending videos in American Sign Language (ASL) with English captioning. These videos provide critical legal and practical information in a format accessible to persons who are Deaf and/or Hard of Hearing. The […]
It is Above that You and I Shall Go
The Housing Center is pleased to announce the installation of our fair housing mural, “It is Above that You and I Shall Go” produced in collaboration with Building Bridges Arts Collaborative and the HELP Foundation, Inc. The mural is located on the western wall of Six Chimneys apartment building, 3907 Prospect Avenue, in Cleveland’s MidTown […]
Brush Strokes for Equality!
The Housing Center is collaborating with Building Bridges’ youth arts and job training program to create a permanent, public mural which celebrates diversity and recognizes the importance of equal access to housing opportunities. The mural will be installed on the western wall of 3907 Prospect Avenue, easily visible to car and pedestrian traffic. The public dedication ceremony will take place on April 29, 2014 and will be followed by a community conversation and reception with the mural artists and local fair housing advocates at the Housing Center’s annual Fair Housing Celebration at Trinity Commons.
(more…)Tax Time Help, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Blog
The Housing Center recognizes that fair housing cannot be accomplished without fair lending. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) was created to make markets for consumer financial products and services work for Americans, including mortgage products. Discrimination in lending is prohibited under the Fair Housing Act. As the CFPB website states, “An informed consumer is the best line of defense against abusive practices.” The CFPB website is a great way to learn before you make major financial decisions, and with tax time upon us, many are on the verge of making major purchases with their anticipated refund. The CFPB now has an additional resource for income tax filing help. Find free, local tax prep & filing resources at the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Blog.
(more…)Did You Know?
Did you know that housing providers cannot impose breed, size, or weight restrictions on service animals under the Fair Housing Act? Service animals are not considered pets, and therefore a person with a disability may make a reasonable accommodation request to allow a service animal (also called therapy, assistance, or companion animal). The request can […]
The Speakers’ Bureau Wants You!
Interested in helping us spread the word about fair housing rights? The Housing Center has opportunities for individuals to speak at a variety of events on behalf of the Housing Center as a member of its Speakers’ Bureau. Potential volunteers must attend a Speakers’ Bureau training and would participate on an as-needed basis. Volunteer participation […]
Housing Center Evolves to Meet New Needs
The Housing Center welcomed new staff and enhanced services in response to the increased demand for fair housing services over the last year. In 2013, the Housing Center conducted over 400 audits for housing discrimination; hosted 52 fair housing training sessions (attended by 1,434 people); tabled 23 community outreach events; and released six research reports.
(more…)New Manual for a New Year! Fair Housing: Know Your Rights!
Many people resolve to find the home of their dreams in the New Year. The Housing Center is very pleased to announce a free new consumer manual Fair Housing: Know Your Rights! to help people in their search. This consumer manual is made possible by a generous grant from the Cleveland Foundation and was written […]
Zimmerman Case Shows Fair Housing is Still the Issue
The civil rights struggle today is just as important as it was 58 years ago, when a 14-year-old African-American boy, Emmett Till, was brutally murdered for whistling at a white woman in the south. Till was from Chicago and bragged to his cousins, whom he was visiting in Mississippi, about the white girlfriend he had back home. He asked a 21-year-old white female store clerk out on a date and whistled at her on a dare. Shortly thereafter, he was abducted from his uncle’s house, beaten, shot in the head and found in the Tallahatchie River with a cotton-gin fan tied around his neck. The all-white jury found the murderers, including the store clerk’s husband, not guilty. One of the accused murderers was quoted as saying, “Well, what else could we do?…I like n—–s—in their place…They ain’t gonna go to school with my kids…and I just made up my mind. ‘Chicago boy,’ I said, ‘I’m tired of ‘em sending your kind down here to stir up trouble…I’m going to make an example of you—just so everybody can know how me and my folks stand.’”
(more…)Thank You Rock the Block 5K Volunteers & Participants!
You Rocked the Block! Thank you to everyone who joined in the 2nd Annual Rock the Block at Edgewater Park on Saturday. It was a beautiful day to celebrate inclusive communities and to support the Housing Research & Advocacy Center’s work to end housing discrimination. The Housing Center wishes to thank everyone who contributed to and participated in this event.
With your help the Housing Center will be able to advocate for more of the 30,000 people who experience housing discrimination in Northeast Ohio every year and to expand our work to prevent discrimination through research and education. Thank you to each and every one of you! We cannot achieve housing choice for all without your support and participation.
(more…)Housing Center releases best practices for landlords manual
The Housing Research & Advocacy Center recently released “Best Practices for Rental Property Management: A Manual for Northeast Ohio Landlords,” a guide for landlords to make the most of their rental properties while following fair housing and landlord-tenant law. Part 1 and Part 2 are available online free of charge. Spiral-bound copies are available at our office or can be shipped for the price of postage. If you are interested in a spiral-bound copy for your home or workplace, contact Krissie Wells.
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