Interfaith Action Network Monthly
October 2018
Ready, Set, Action
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Summer is over and autumn has officially begun!
With the start of a new season, there is a renewed energy in our work to make fair housing a living reality for all within our region. We have released a couple new educational resources in the past month, including two translated versions of the Fair Housing Toolkit, and have more coming out soon. We are also gearing up for several events this fall, including an educational event and two policy summits.
The temperatures may be cooling down, but we are just warming up. So let’s take a look at what this season has in store!
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Below are some educational resources we recommend for you to learn more about fair housing.
- Fair Housing Toolkit现在有中文版了。¡El Toolkit de Equidad de Vivienda ahora está en español! The Fair Housing Toolkit is now in Chinese (Simplified) and Spanish! Check out the translated versions of the Fair Housing Toolkit (as well as the English language version) here.
- This past month, the FHJC filed two new cases involving alleged racial discrimination, one in Brooklyn and another in Westchester County:
- On September 5, the FHJC and five African American testers filed a lawsuit in federal district court (EDNY) alleging that Charm Equities LTD; Michael Kohn; Howard Kohn; Michael D’Antonio; Highway Realty LLC; and 1723 E 15 LLC are discriminating against African American renters in violation of local, state, and federal fair housing laws. You can read more about this case here.
- On September 20, the FHJC and three African American testers filed a lawsuit in federal district court (SDNY) alleging that New Property Associates, LLC and Building Superintendent Dikson Dumitrescu are discriminating against African American prospective renters at a 53-unit rental building located in the Town of Eastchester in Westchester County. You can read about this case here.
- Let's talk about testing. Fair housing testers pose as ordinary home seekers in order to determine if housing providers and others are complying with fair housing laws. At the FHJC, our Acting for Justice testing program boasts more than 165 professional actors and performers who work part-time as testers. Over the past year and half, we have highlighted some of our tester's stories in our Acting for Justice story series. Read the latest Acting for Justice story about M.L.'s experience as a tester and why she is committed to fighting for fair housing.
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Time to get out and advocate your community! Below are some advocacy updates and ways that you can get involved.
- Save the date for the Regional Affordable & Fair Housing Summit on November 27, 2018 at the CUNY Graduate Center. This full-day summit will bring together an assemblage of fair housing and affordable housing organizations, experts, and advocates for information sharing as we debut our Regional Affordable and Fair Housing Roundtable's policy platform. Click here for more information or to RSVP for the Summit.
- Also save the date for the American Planning Association's New York Metro Chapter Diversity Committee's annual Hindsight conference on November 2, 2018. This full-day conference focuses on urban planning through an equity lens, and this year will honor the 50th anniversary of the federal Fair Housing Act. Both the FHJC's Executive Director, Fred Freiberg, and our Policy Coordinator, Chanera Pierce, will be presenting on at this year's event. Click here to learn more about the 2018 Hindsight Conference.
- Wondering how you can advance fair housing in your community? Check out our list of 30 Ways to Advance Fair Housing here. Also check out our Facebook and Twitter pages to see the 30 Ways social media campaign we ran throughout the month of September.
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Building the Beloved Community
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Want to get involved in the
Building the Beloved Community
interfaith initiative in some other way? Below are some updates from our interfaith initiative:
- On October 23, the Fair Housing Justice Center, NY Appleseed, The Century Foundation, and St. Ann & the Holy Trinity will be hosting a free, public event, "The Harm of Segregation: Why Where We Live and Learn Matters." The event will feature a presentation on fair housing and a panel discussion where fair housing and school integration experts will discuss how where we live and learn matters. For more information this event, click here. If you are interested in hosting an event in your community, click here.
- We are training representatives of diverse faith communities into leaders and educators will help us achieve this mission. Fair Housing Leaders will attend an in depth training where they will develop a fluency in fair housing issues and in how to use the FHJC’s Fair Housing Toolkit, among other resources, to educate and engage their community. If you are interested in attending a leadership training and volunteering to become a Fair Housing Leader you can email the FHJC’s Education Coordinator Caitlin Mroz at [email protected].
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“[B]eloved community is formed not by the eradication of difference but by its affirmation, by each of us claiming the identities and cultural legacies that shape who we are and how we live in the world.”
- Bell Hooks, Killing Rage: Erasing Racism
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Fair Housing Justice Center | 30-30 Northern Blvd., Suite 302, Long Island City, NY 11101
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