SPRING NEWSLETTER
April 2021 | Committed to fair housing for all
What's New on the Blog...
3 MEANINGFUL WAYS TO CELEBRATE FAIR HOUSING MONTH
Posted on March 29, 2021
Following the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and nationwide civil unrest, The Civil Rights Act of 1968 — also known as the Fair Housing Act — was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on April 11, 1968. The act expanded on previous laws and prohibited discrimination in the sale or rental of housing on the bases of race, color, national origin, and religion. Sex became a protected class in 1974, and protections for families with children and people with disabilities were later added in 1988.
CLEVELAND IS MAKING LEAD SAFETY A PRIORITY. HERE’S WHAT LANDLORDS SHOULD KNOW.
Posted on March 12, 2021
Starting this month, Cleveland landlords are being required to test their homes for lead. Rental property owners in the City must obtain a Lead Safe Certification to prove that their units are safe from lead hazards. This comes after Cleveland City Council passed a new lead-safe ordinance, making lead safety a priority in the City.
CLEVELAND COULD SOON BAN SOURCE OF INCOME DISCRIMINATION
Posted on February 22, 2021
The City of Cleveland is closer than ever to protecting renters from discrimination based on their source of income, or SOI. City Council may soon consider amending Cleveland’s fair housing law to ban landlords from rejecting tenants simply because they use a housing voucher to pay rent. Councilman Kerry McCormack says he expects to introduce Cleveland’s ordinance in the coming weeks. Colleagues Anthony Hairston and Jenny Spencer will reportedly be signing on as co-sponsors.
Resource Corner
At the Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research, we want to make it easy for you to understand your rights and responsibilities under fair housing law. That's why we regularly develop and distribute fair housing resources, which are made available for free download. Organizations can also request to receive physical copies of our resources. Access our latest resources below!

Mental Health & Your Fair Housing Rights (Fact Sheet)


Housing Vouchers & Your Rights (Tri-fold Brochure)


FHCRR Informational Agency Brochure (Tri-fold Brochure)


Fair Housing: Know Your Rights! (Tri-fold Brochure)

Upcoming Events
Housing Justice: A Cross-Community Conversation
In collaboration with Repair the World
Wednesday, April 7, 2021 | 5:30 PM - 6:45 PM

In honor of Fair Housing Month, join the Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research and the Repair the World cities of Boston, Cleveland, Denver, and Los Angeles for a discussion about housing justice, fair housing best practices, and our individual and the roles we can play in supporting housing initiatives in our communities. We will be learning with the Fair Housing Center and building community while engaging with issues relevant to both our individual cities and larger Jewish communities. This program is in partnership with Repair the World Boston, Cleveland, Denver, and Los Angeles, NuRoots, the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles, and the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston.
Housing Rights and the Path Into and Out of Homelessness
(Session #1 of Housing 101 Series)
In collaboration with the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH)
Thursday, April 15, 2021 | 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

In the first session of NEOCH's Housing 101 Webinar Series, the Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research will cover the rights of tenants in public and private housing, and common misconceptions about what a landlord can and can’t do. Gain a basic understanding of what your clients should expect from their housing provider, and where to go for help.

NEOCH will describe the root causes of homelessness, the ways people typically become homeless, and the options they have to get housed. They’ll also discuss gaps in the system, and where further advocacy is needed to improve housing stability in our community.
Fair Housing — Understanding the Basics

In collaboration with the City of Shaker Heights Fair Housing Office

Tuesday, April 27, 2021
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

From the application process to accommodations and modifications and everything in between, including COVID-related content. Designed for both owners and tenants. Free and open to all. This is an online event. Registration requested.
Reentry Week Twitter Chat on Housing

Tuesday, April 27, 2021 | 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

The Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research, the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, Eden, Inc., Towards Employment, the ACLU of Ohio, Maximum Supportive Housing, NEOCH, and the Cuyahoga County Office of Reentry are hosting a Twitter Chat on Tuesday, April 27 to start the dialogue about ending the collateral consequences of criminal convictions.

The conversation will also touch on removing barriers to housing and employment and ending the racial injustice of mass incarceration. Participants can learn how to promote ways to undo and repair the legacy of racism that continually ripples through the community acting as a barrier to returning citizens seeking to reintegrate into our community.

You can participate in the Twitter Chat by using #CLEReentryWeek2021. Follow @housingcenter and the other organizations and join the conversation!
Connecting For Kids Resource Fairs
In collaboration with Connecting for Kids

Connecting for Kids offers two resource fairs for area residents. These resource fairs take place in the spring of each year and are designed to highlight local providers and services for families who have a concern about their child.

The Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research will have fair housing resources available to those receiving "Grab & Go" bags for both the Lorain County and Cuyahoga County Resource Fairs.
Fair Housing in the News
About Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research

The Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research (The Fair Housing Center) is a nonprofit fair housing organization whose mission is to protect and expand fair housing rights, eliminate housing discrimination, and promote integrated communities. The Fair Housing Center has been in existence for 35 years, beginning as the Metropolitan Strategy Group in 1983.
 
The federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 prohibits discrimination in the sale or rental of a dwelling on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or disability. The purpose of the law is to eliminate housing discrimination and promote residential integration.
 
For more information visit www.thehousingcenter.org.