From Inman News Features
The Department of Housing and Urban Development is launching a nationwide, yearlong print, radio and TV ad campaign in an effort to educate consumers about fair housing.
Programs aim to educate consumers about knowing their rights when buying or renting a home and address the fair treatment standards that property owners and landlords must abide by.
For fiscal year 2004, President Bush has proposed to increase the fair housing budget by 8 percent, to nearly $50 million. Approximately $30 million will go to the Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP), which forges partnerships between HUD and state and local jurisdictions to support enforcement, education and outreach activities. The remaining $20 million will go to the Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP), which provides grants to non-profit agencies that directly target discrimination and educate the public.
The government is also stepping up enforcement of the nation’s fair housing laws, evidenced by the reduced number of backlogged cases of alleged discrimination.
At the start of the Bush Administration, some 85 percent of cases were considered “aged” — or over 100 days old. At the end of fiscal year 2002, that rate was down to 29 percent.
Similarly, among cases HUD contracts with state and local agencies to investigate, the backlog in January 2001 was 69 percent, and down to 44 percent at the end of fiscal year 2002.
President Bush, Attorney General John Ashcroft and HUD Secretary Mel Martinez last month marked the 35th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act by signing a proclamation urging all Americans to advance fair housing opportunities across the nation.
The Fair Housing Act, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968, prohibits discrimination in the financing, rental or sale of any dwelling based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Amendments to the Act in 1988 extended its coverage to prohibit discrimination based on disability or familial status.
“The Bush Administration is committed to ensuring that this nation’s dedication to fair housing remains as strong today as it was 35 years ago,” Martinez said. “As an immigrant myself, I have a profound appreciation for this country’s tradition of being compassionate and welcoming to all people. America benefits greatly from its diversity.”
Although progress has been made in the 35 years of the Act, a 2002 HUD study entitled “Discrimination in Metropolitan Housing Markets: Phase I” indicates that work remains to be done. That study found that while sales and rental discrimination against African Americans has declined since HUD last studied the problem in 1989 and sales discrimination against Hispanics has also declined, rental discrimination against Hispanic Americans has remained unchanged at about 25 percent.