August 2024 - Hispanic Heritage Month Spotlight
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Welcome Note
As we head into September, we prepare for Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins September 15th. The Fair Housing Act and related housing efforts and advocacy have always played an integral role in promoting diversity in housing and helping Hispanic/Latino communities exercise their rights and protections. We are excited for the month ahead to continue such pursuits via several community events and activities planned!
Hispanic/Latino Communities Still Face Subtle Obstacles When Searching for Housing
Did You Know…
[Borrowed from THE CONTINUED STRUGGLE OF HISPANICS FOR FAIR HOUSING by Stephanie Gonzalez Palumbo] One of the most prominent struggles many Hispanics continue to face, even decades after the passage of the Fair Housing Act, is unlawful housing discrimination. Erroneous perceptions of Hispanics and immigrants often limit their housing choices.
While the terms Hispanic and immigrant are not synonymous, they are often conflated by housing providers seeking to hinder members of both groups from accessing fair housing.
Overt forms of housing discrimination, such as a housing provider’s outright refusal to show a rental unit or house because of the home seeker’s perceived race or ethnicity, continue to occur among many groups, including Hispanics. However, it may be the subtle, less obvious forms of discrimination that demand more of our attention, especially in the larger context of a nation conflicted on how to address immigration reform.
So What Does It All Mean?
Despite decades of efforts to properly educate housing providers of housing rights across all communities, many Hispanc/Latino families are given ‘extra’ tasks to complete when applying for housing:
Proof of Citizenship or Lawful Status
Social Security Numbers
Questions about Family Size
Insistence that all communication occur in the applicant/tenant/s non-native language
While these examples may seem to be common parts of seeking housing for everyone, consider this for non-Hispanic/Latino applicants:
Are they asked to show proof of citizenship?
When they say they can’t find their social security number, or can’t remember it, is their lawful status in this country questioned?
When they arrive with kids are they greeted with, “How wonderful, how old are you kids?” or instead, “Hmmmm….how many kids do you actually have?”
Are they asked if they speak English?
Again, not everything on this list is going to be discriminatory and a direct violation of the housing protections, but just consider the additional questions and assumptions that Hispanic/Latino families must endure in order to secure housing.
What Can We Do?
We can remember that any question asked to one applicant or tenant, needs to be asked to all applicants and tenants.
Before asking questions, asking ourselves, “Why am I asking this question? Does the answer have any impact on their right to housing?”
Keep track of the unfortunate responses we get while searching for housing and the questions being asked. Filing complaint and exercising our rights is difficult to do when all we have is a vague memory of something we think might have happened.
Contact us!! ☺
Community Outreach
Upcoming Outreach Events
What We’ve Been Up To
Children Beyond Our Border - Back to School Fair
We continued our back to school events earlier in August with the back to school health fair in Gainesville. Both the Eviction Prevention and Fair Housing team got the chance to share resources and information at Children BIt was an amazing Saturday event at the Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Palatka for the Police Athletic Association’s annual back to school event. Hundreds of families and students receiving back-to-school backpacks and supplies, along with dozens of partners and advocates helping out throughout the day.eyond our Borders biggest health fair of the year. Thank you so much for having us!
Back to School Fest (Palatka)
It was an amazing Saturday event at the Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Palatka for the Police Athletic Association’s annual back to school event. Hundreds of families and students receiving back-to-school backpacks and supplies, along with dozens of partners and advocates helping out throughout the day.
Flagler Cares
Our Program Manager and Attorney, Joseph Cordova, got the chance to have another great Flagler Cares Help Night in Palm Coast. It is always great to see our network of advocates (and friends!) and community members accessing resources and our legal consultations.
Space Coast Apartment Association Fair Housing Workshop
Entryway Fair Housing Presentation
We started our partnership with the Entryway program at the end of the last grant year and we’re delighted to continue bringing fair housing information to their participants. Thank you so much to Jessica for continuing to include us in your participant training.
Apartment Association of Greater Orlando (AAGO) Presentation
This month, our Fair Housing team got the chance to go back to our long time partners at AAGO to present another full day workshop on fair housing for housing providers and real estate professionals.
Putnam County Overdose Awareness Seminar: Pia got the chance to participate in this year’s Putnam County Overdose Awareness event. It was a special moment to be part of a large group of providers working to address the opioid epidemic in Putnam County. Thank you to all the providers and organizers for including us in this great event.
Partnership of Stronger Families Networking Event in Gainesville
Fair Housing and Eviction Prevention came together to gather at this networking fair, bringing together over 20 organizations in Alachua County. We were able to connect with social service professionals who continue to impact our community everyday. We hope to collaborate with our new contacts soon!
Alachua County Eviction Prevention Legal Clinic
If you have a housing or legal question that you would like to consult an attorney about, please join us the third Friday of every month at the Alachua County Headquarter Library Branch from 10am-1pm to speak to an attorney for FREE. The Eviction Prevention team is at the HQ Library every Friday, if you have any questions or concerns, stop by!
Alachua County Eviction Prevention Helpline - CALL: 888-780-0443
This helpline aimed at serving Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) recipients and other members of the Alachua community is up and running! Helpline operators are accepting phone calls regarding housing, landlord-tenant issues, child support, or any other legal issue faced by low-income Alachua County Residents. Callers will be connected with an attorney who can provide legal assistance over the phone and in some cases, direct legal representation.
Tenants’ Rights Workshops - The Alachua County Eviction Prevention team is hosting FREE monthly legal clinics “Know Your Rights As A Renter” at public locations throughout the county. Last month was held Saturday, July 27, from 12p-2p at the Alachua County Public Headquarter Library Branch. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear advice and ask questions of experienced housing attorneys. EMAIL TO JOIN MAILING LIST FOR UPCOMING FREE LEGAL CLINIC!
The federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) protects you from discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and familial status. This applies to renting, buying, mortgages, appraisals, insurance, and looking for a place to live.
IF YOU THINK YOU’VE BEEN THE VICTIM OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION, PLEASE CONTACT US AT:
407-801- 4224
850-680-1729 (Spanish)
fairhousing@floridalegal.org
www.floridalegal.org/fairhousing
The work that provided the basis for this publication was supported by funding under a grant with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The author and publisher are solely responsible for the accuracy of the statements and interpretations contained in this publication. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Government.