Rhetoric Becomes Reality, Affecting Housing Choice

While 44 years have passed since April 1968’s milestone federal Fair Housing Act, an estimated four million violations of the law continue to occur each year. And although only a fraction of those violations actually get reported—less than 30,000 according to a 2010 estimate by the National Fair Housing Alliance—data indicate that a combined 56 percent of the bases for complaints filed over the last decade in Illinois involved discrimination based on race and national origin, with much of it targeted towards Latinos.

In recognition of April as Fair Housing Month, the Latino Policy Forum is partnering with local, housing-focused organizations to raise awareness of rights under fair housing. Throughout April, Latino-serving housing organizations will conduct fair housing workshops at Chicago’s Mexican Consulate. Participating organizations include: Access Living, Chicago Commission on Human Relations, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Inc, Erie House, to name a few.