Fair Housing is YOUR RIGHT!
The month of April is national Fair Housing Month, celebrating the passage of the 1968 Fair Housing Act. The Western New York Law Center stands committed to ensuring everyone is able to live in safe, affordable housing free from discrimination. Since the passage of the Fair Housing Act, great progress has been made to expand Federal protections at the state and local level. In 2019, New York State amended its Human Rights Law to include protections against discriminating against someone on the basis of their creed, age, sexual orientation, marital status, their gender identity, military status, or their lawful source of income. New York’s expansion of fair housing law means that everyone should be given an equal chance at obtaining housing without fear of prejudice or exclusion just because of who they are.
Fair housing laws seek to address systemic and historical segregation, redlining, and discriminatory lending/rental practices. These practices have had generational impacts on our communities by limiting the ability of families to build generational wealth through homeownership and reducing economic and social mobility. Where someone lives most often determines the quality of their public schools and the availability of jobs. By eliminating barriers to access, fair housing laws are intended to help prevent the concentration of poverty and segregation of marginalized groups by promoting integration within the community.
Despite these protections, many in our community still face discrimination through outright denial, by being steered into substandard housing or communities disproportionately inhabited by those of a protected class, or by being subjected to exploitative conditions. If you believe you have been discriminated against and live in Erie County, you can report your concerns to a local Fair Housing Officer which you can find on the Erie County website. On the Erie County website, you can find the Fair Housing Officer for your city, town, or village, and the information you will need to contact them. You can also report your concerns to Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME), a local civil rights organization whose mission is to give everyone the opportunity to live in housing and communities of their choice.
The Western New York Law Center is proud to stand with those facing discrimination in housing and may be able to help you understand and assert your rights. If you are interested in applying for assistance, please call 716-828-8456.
Nico C. Soria, Esq.
Supervising Attorney, Housing Unit