contents
- our mission
- a year in review
- research & reports
- advocacy & enforcement
- education & outreach
- financial statement
- our team
- support fair housing
our mission
To protect and expand fair housing rights, eliminate housing discrimination, and promote integrated communities.
a year in review
2020 was a challenging year for everyone, even without the added stress of housing discrimination. For many, the pandemic brought anxiety over health, finances, job security, and housing stability. Through all of the challenges that 2020 brought, the Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research remained committed to helping community members understand and exercise their fair housing rights. As we shifted from in-person to remote work, outreach events were cancelled, and calls for help increased, our dedicated team rose to the challenge and adjusted to meet the needs of our clients, in our continued effort to protect and expand fair housing rights.
The Fair Housing Center's Research team published Exclusionary Zoning in Cuyahoga County. This report analyzes the cumulative land-use regulations of the county’s fifty-nine municipalities, exploring how zoning perpetuates racial segregation in Cuyahoga County. In 2020, our team also completed four Analyses of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice for the Cities of Cleveland Heights, East Cleveland, Euclid, and Parma. The Fair Housing Center assisted in identifying impediments to housing choice in these cities by performing data analysis, qualitative analysis, and a review of their municipal ordinances.
Our Enforcement team worked with hundreds of residents around Northeast Ohio to protect and advocate on behalf of their fair housing rights. We continued to expand our advocacy efforts around source of income-based discrimination and criminal background denials through engagement with the County Housing Stakeholders Fair Housing Working Group and the Greater Cleveland Reentry Strategy Coalition, supported community partners advocating for Pay to Stay legislation, submitted Proponent Testimony on proposed statewide legislation to prohibit source of income discrimination, and provided community referrals and support to families facing housing insecurity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fair Housing Center handled 25 new agency cases in 2020 and continued work on another 20 ongoing agency cases. Seven agency cases were resolved directly by The Fair Housing Center. The Fair Housing Center filed 17 new charges of housing discrimination with administrative agencies for investigation. Advocates in the Enforcement Department conducted intakes for 234 new complaints of housing discrimination from individuals in the community. Increasing community awareness and referrals from community partners have resulted in consistently high numbers of complaints in recent years.
Our Education & Outreach team continued to connect with folks in the community, in an effort to increase awareness of fair housing rights and our services. When businesses and activities began shutting down in March of 2020, most of the spring outreach events we had scheduled were canceled, postponed, or moved online. Although the future felt uncertain, that never stopped our team from fulfilling our mission, reaching new audiences, and educating landlords, tenants, social service providers, students, and community members on fair housing law. In 2020, The Fair Housing Center conducted 43 fair housing trainings to a total of 1,889 people. A total of 129 hours of training were conducted, with 2,128.25 total training hours completed over the course of the year.
Although we may have made it past the toughest parts of the pandemic, so many people are still struggling. The eviction moratorium—which undoubtedly saved so many from homelessness over the past year—has now expired, leaving many feeling that sense of uncertainty once again. With your support, we can continue working to protect and expand fair housing rights, eliminate housing discrimination, and promote integrated communities.
Below are some highlights from 2020...
We presented on fair housing law at BW's Social Change Summit
JCU Students learned about fair housing, as part of Cleveland Immersion Experience
The Fair Housing Center went remote, and offered resources for folks impacted by housing issues related to the pandemic
In April, FHCRR Developed a Fair Housing Reading List for Fair Housing Month
We joined Radio One and OHFA for the Empower One Housing Expo & Community Day
We participated in EYEJ Speaks Facebook Live event & podcast
FHCRR led a session for BW's Civic LEAD Series on Racial Justice
research & reports
In 2020, The Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research published Exclusionary Zoning in Cuyahoga County. This report analyzes the cumulative land-use regulations of the county’s fifty-nine municipalities permit multifamily housing on just 16.9% of all land. This report argues since most Black families rent the exclusion of renters, through municipal zoning codes, perpetuates racial segregation in Cuyahoga County. Zoning allows a conversation of race and class exclusion to be conducted in race neutral vocabulary of homeownership and property values. The Fair Housing Center’s report on exclusionary zoning was featured on 90.3 Ideastream, Cleveland Scene, Cleveland.com editorial section, and WEWS News Channel 5.
In 2020, The Fair Housing Research Department completed four Analyses of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice for the Cities of Cleveland Heights, East Cleveland, Euclid, and Parma. HUD requires jurisdictions that directly receive Community Development Block Grant monies to regularly assess factors that reduce fair housing choice within their boundaries. The Fair Housing assisted in identifying impediments to housing choice in these cities by performing data analysis, qualitative analysis, and a review of their municipal ordinances.
our team
This work wouldn't be possible without the core team of people who get up every day with a commitment to further fair housing and take a stand against discrimination. Scroll down to meet our team members (both old and new), and visit our website to learn more about our current staff members.
2020 board of directors
- KATIE BRICKNER | Annual Fund Manager, Holden Arboretum
- JOAN BURDA | Attorney & Professor, Private Practice; Case Western Reserve University, School of Law
- JONATHAN ENTIN | Treasurer & Vice President | Professor of Law and Political Science, Case Western Reserve University, School of Law
- KYLE FEE | Senior Policy Analyst, Community Development, Federal Reserve Bank
- KENEICE GRAY | Performance Auditor, City of Cleveland
- CHRIS HAMM | Owner/Financial Advisor, Bridgewater Financial Group
- TONI JONES | Councilperson at the City of Maple Heights, Bellaire Puritas Development Corp., Housing Program Director
- ROBERT "BOB" KISSLING | Director of Human Resources, Western Reserve Land Conservancy
- VICKTORIA KOTOV | Senior Manager, Organizational Assessment, Neighborworks America
- CARLETON MOORE! | President | Senior Vice President for Advance Planning, CWM! Architects
- PRISCILLA POINTER-HICKS | Secretary | Executive Director, Parma Public Housing Agency
- NOLAN STEVENS | Staff Attorney, Nueva Luz Resource Center
- J. ROSIE TIGHE | Assistant Professor, Maxine Levin College of Urban Affairs
- W. MONA SCOTT | Administrative Judge, Cleveland Municipal Housing Court
2020 ambassadors council
- CLAIRE BILLINGSLEY
- PATRICK GROGAN-MYERS
- ALLISON KRETZ
support fair housing
At a time when housing stability is uncertain for many, the work of furthering fair housing is more important than ever. But we can't do it alone. With your support, we can continue working to ensure that everyone is afforded the right to fair housing, regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, military status, familial status, or disability.
Now, it's easier than ever to give, and our three giving options allow you to give in the way that works best for you.
Option #1: Text to Give
We're taking the hassle out of giving. Now, you can easily support fair housing, with one quick text. Just text the keyword FHCRR to 269-89 and make a donation directly from your smartphone. It's really that simple!
Option #2: Make an Online Donation
Visit our donation page to make an online donation and support your neighbors in need. Choose between a monthly gift, one-time gift, or "Round-Up" (more info on this below). No matter how you give, your support goes a long way. Even a small monthly donation makes a big difference for those we serve.
Option #3: Round-Up Your Purchases
Unable to commit to a larger donation, but want to make a difference? Now, you can donate your spare change from everyday purchases to support our work to further fair housing! Just connect a debit/credit card to your donor account, make purchases as usual, and your card purchases will "Round-Up" to the next dollar as change. Each month, your "Round-Up" change is accumulated and donated to The Fair Housing Center. You can even set a donation limit each month, giving you the flexibility to customize what you give, in a convenient and accessible way!
Can we count on your support this year to continue our fight for fair housing? To make your gift to support fair housing, please visit thehousingcenter.org/#donate.