Join NFHTA in Celebrating National Fair Housing Month

April 2021 marks the 53rd anniversary of the passage of the Fair Housing Act. Since 1968, Fair Housing advocates have dedicated their careers to ending housing discrimination and advocating for equal rights. Observing this anniversary during a global pandemic emphasizes the need for addressing housing discrimination for vulnerable populations and those that are unstably housed. This year, NFHTA turns its focus to the issue of gender equity. In January 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 13988 to ensure that “all persons should receive equal treatment under the law, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation.”

NFHTA celebrated Fair Housing Month by hosting a public forum centered on preventing and combating housing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity: LGBTQ+: Fostering Understanding and Strengthening Fair Housing for All. To further assist FHIPs and FHAPs, NFHTA created a job aid that includes level-setting information discussed in the National Fair Housing Forum, including the concepts and spectrums of sexual orientation and gender identity, preferred pronouns, and common fair housing violations in the LGBTQ+ community.

View the job aid, forum recording, transcript and more by visiting the April National Fair Housing Forum page.

Meet the Faculty: Jeffrey P. May

Jeffrey P. May, lovingly known and respected by NFHTA training participants as the “bowtie guy,” leverages more than two decades of fair housing experience to lead the content development and delivery of several NFHTA foundational courses including Basics of Fair Housing, Fundamentals of Fair Housing - Intake, and Fundamentals of Fair Housing - Investigation.

Q&A with Jeffrey:

What brought you to fair housing work?

I was working with individuals with disabilities who were at risk of homelessness or currently homeless. I noticed that housing providers were asking inappropriate questions about my clients and whether I would be visiting the clients in their properties. They were worried that a Black male would be coming to their property. I contacted Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center to learn about my clients fair housing rights. Once I understood those rights, I understood that they – and many other at-risk individuals – were experiencing varying levels and types of housing discrimination. This early career experience inspired me to join the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center as a testing coordinator.

What is one piece of advice you have for a new practitioner working in fair housing?

This is a movement, so move it forward. It’s not for everyone. If you do accept the responsibility to be a part of the movement, you are a part of creating and advancing civil rights in a pragmatic way. We are in a place of building on progress that has been made by others’ sacrifices.

Pro Tips: Practicing Self-Care

Knowing our FHIP and FHAP colleagues bear a big burden of responsibility, below we offer some suggested self-care techniques and resources to practice aspects of self-care:

• Unplug and get some fresh air.
  Make space to get outside and breath fresh air. Even a 10-minute break away from technology can clear your head and provide you with energy to get through your day.
   
• Make space for joy.
  The pandemic has exacerbated our collective sense of grief and loneliness. Find joy in small things - cook your favorite meal, call a friend, watch the sunset, or read a book.
   
• Connect with peers.
  Sharing strategies, learning from each other, creating professional bonds can provide a platform for brainstorming solutions or sharing resources. In each NFHTA instructor led course, participants engage with their peers and walk away with contact information to stay connected and increase their professional network.

New HUD Guidance: Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

New guidance was recently released regarding discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. As fair housing practitioners, it is important to become familiar with the new resources below.

Discuss the the impact of the new court decision, Executive Order, and HUD guidance with your colleagues and agency leadership.

• Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia
  Date Published: June 15, 2020
  In this 2020 U.S. Supreme Court decision, the Court held that the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 guards employees from discrimination based on their status as gay or transgender.
   
• Executive Order 13988 on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity of Sexual Orientation
  Date Published: January 20, 2021
  This Executive Order signed by President Biden requires all federal agencies to extend existing protections on the basis of sex to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
   
• FHEO Memo: Implementation of Executive Order 13988 on the Enforcement of the Fair Housing Act
  Date Published: February 11, 2021
  In light of Executive Order 13988, this memorandum directs actions by HUD FHEO and HUD-funded fair housing partners to enforce the Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.

Instructor Led Courses

Registration is now open for the following courses:

• Fundamentals of Fair Housing - Intake
  May 24-27, 2021 | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET
   
• Litigating Fair Housing Cases
  June 7-10, 2021 | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET
   
• Fundamentals of Fair Housing - FHAP Investigation
  June 21-24, 2021 | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET

National Fair Housing Forums

Save the date for upcoming National Fair Housing Forums!

• May National Fair Housing Forum
  May 19, 2021 | 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM ET