Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research

Tomorrow, our office will be closed in honor of Juneteenth, a commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States after the Civil War. Check out this video by TED-Ed to learn more about the significance and importance of this holiday.

What is Juneteenth, and why is it important? - Karlos K. Hill and Soraya Field Fiorio Get to know the history of Juneteenth, a commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States after the Civil War.--At the end of the Civil War, though s...

On July 15th from 12-2PM, join us for our next Housing & Community Development Forum, "Source of Income Rental Protection: Current Landscape & Overcoming Constitutional Challenges."

This CLE session will explore “Source of Income” (SOI) protections for renters who rely on Housing Choice Vouchers and other lawful forms of non-wage income to secure housing. In Ohio, source of income is not currently protected under state fair housing law, leaving renters subject to a patchwork of local ordinances that varies significantly by jurisdiction.

The discussion will examine how this uneven legal landscape affects housing access across the state, particularly for voucher holders, families with children, older adults, and people with disabilities, and will highlight the growing number of Ohio municipalities that have adopted local SOI protections in response to persistent barriers in the private rental market. The webinar will also explore recent constitutional challenges to SOI protections and how municipalities and courts have been addressing those challenges.

Learn more and register here: https://hrrc-ch.org/?page_id=29426

If you need education on your fair housing rights and responsibilities, we've got you covered. Our Education & Outreach team regularly provides fair housing education to tenants, housing providers, real estate professionals, social service providers, and other community groups. Visit thehousingcenter.org/education to schedule a fair housing presentation for your organization!

This week, we're listening to The Daily's recent podcast episode, titled "One Town’s Blueprint for Resegregating America." For context, a real estate investor’s pursuit of cheap land has prompted a lawsuit against a compound in Arkansas that will test whether civil rights laws can stop a whites-only town from existing in America. In this episode, Debra Kamin, an investigative reporter for The New York Times, discusses the community and why its members are convinced that in this political climate, no one is going to stop them.

👉 Visit https://tunein.com/podcasts/News/The-Daily-p952868/?topicId=557517404 to listen to the full episode and learn more about the fair housing implications of this intentionally segregated community.

Fathers play an important role in their kids' lives. Today, we’re sharing resources at the Cuyahoga County Fatherhood Initiative's 20th Annual Cuyahoga County Fatherhood Conference to let fathers know that they have fair housing rights. Because being a parent is hard enough — housing discrimination shouldn't make your job any more difficult.

Fathers (and all families with children) are explicitly protected from housing discrimination under the familial status protection, which makes it illegal to refuse to provide housing to someone because they have kids in the home. This protection applies to parents, custodians, legal designees, and anyone who is pregnant or in the process of securing custody of children, including foster and adoptive families.

Think your fair housing rights have been violated? Reach out to our advocates for assistance.

If you are interested in learning more about your rights under fair housing law, register to attend this free fair housing training, presented by the Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research and the City of Cleveland Heights, Ohio - City Hall.

Event Details:
🗓️ Thursday, June 25, 2026
⏰ 5:30PM - 7:30PM
📍 Noble Neighborhood Branch, Heights Libraries (2800 Noble Rd., Cleveland Heights, OH 44121)

👉 To register, visit thehousingcenter.org/events, or call (216) 306-2539. Registration is free but required. All attendees will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win a $25 Giant Eagle gift card!

This week, we're listening to Southern Poverty Law Center's "Apathy is Not an Option" podcast episode on fair housing in America. Host Alex Beightol is joined by Teresa Fox-Bettis, a regional fair housing expert based in the Gulf Coast, and Richard Rothstein, a nationally recognized housing scholar and author, to examine the legacy of redlining and what true accountability looks like today. This conversation challenges us to confront how policy shaped inequality — and what it will take to change it.

Visit https://splcenter.org/apathy-not-option-podcast to listen to Episode 16, "Fair Housing in America: From Redlining to Accountability."

If you are interested in learning more about your rights and responsibilities under fair housing law, register to attend this free upcoming Fair Housing Law Training, presented by the Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research and sponsored by Cuyahoga County.

Event Details:
🗓️ Tuesday, June 30, 2026
⏰ 5PM - 7PM
📍 Parma Heights City Hall, City Hall Chambers Room (6281 Pearl Rd., Parma Heights, OH 44130)

👉 To register, please visit thehousingcenter.org/events or call (216) 361-9240.

For the first time in decades, The Fair Housing Center does not have federal funding to assist residents in all communities throughout our service area with complaints of housing discrimination. While we hope this gap is only temporary, we are currently unable to provide individual assistance with fair housing complaints and inquiries in communities where we do not have local funding. As of 6/1/26, we lack funding to assist with complaints of discrimination in the cities of Cleveland, East Cleveland, Elyria and Lorain. If you have experienced housing discrimination in one of these cities, please reach out to your city's designated contact person to request assistance.

We encourage you to check back with us in the coming months as we continue to seek funding to resume serving members of all communities throughout Cuyahoga & Lorain Counties. Thank you for your understanding.