The Miami Valley Fair Housing Center is awarded grants from
U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD)
Download the news relese!
The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) and the Miami Valley Fair Housing Center (MVFHC) are pleased to announce that HUD has awarded the Fair Housing Center two grants under the department’s Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP), which is the only federal funding source specifically for education, outreach, and enforcement activities by private, non-profit fair housing organizations.
The grants awarded to the MVFHC include:
FHIP – Education & Outreach Initiative (EOI): $125,000.00 for a twelve (12) month project wherein MVFHC will conduct Fair housing education workshops, continuing education workshops, special events and symposia to inform the public and housing professionals about their rights and obligations under the Fair Housing Act and substantially-equivalent state and local fair housing laws. The Fair Housing Center’s expected outcomes from the grant include reaching 32,000 persons face to face, 180,000 persons digitally, and distribute 70,000 pieces of printed material.
FHIP – Private Enforcement Initiative — Multi-Year (PEI-MYI) Component: $1,275,000.00 for a thirty-six (36) month project under which MVFHC will continue its Core Fair Housing Program to assist people who seek MVFHC’s help because they believe they have been the victim of housing discrimination. MVFHC will also begin a new project, the Housing Choice Systemic Testing Program, to assist people with housing choice vouchers get access to the housing of their choice in neighborhoods with high performing schools, access to jobs and transportation as well as quality affordable housing. MVFHC will also begin examining whether housing providers illegally discriminate against people with criminal records. The Criminal Records Systemic Testing Program will assist people who are re-entering society after incarceration get access to housing free from discrimination. The Fair Housing Center will address the significant gap in homeownership between people who are white and people who are Black by beginning the Systemic Lending Testing Program. Finally, MVFHC’s Environmental Justice Program will examine the effects of environmental hazards on people and neighborhoods of color while working with state and local officials as well as area advocates to address the issues uncovered.
MVFHC supports City of Dayton's Ordinance 32024-23, adding source of income,
including receipt of a housing choice voucher as a protected class in its fair housing law
Download the entire letter!
The Miami Valley Fair Housing Center, writes to provide our unequivocal endorsement for the passage of Dayton Ordinance No. 32024-23, which will add “source of income,” including the receipt of a federal housing choice voucher, as a protected class under the City of Dayton’s housing anti-discrimination laws.
Unfortunately, the Dayton REALTORS® currently stated rationale for the opposition is that “We strongly oppose any legislation that would infringe on private property rights and any legislation that would require housing providers to enter into a program that is riddled with bureaucratic hurdles. This legislation will put an unnecessary burden on housing providers, potentially resulting in smaller providers closing.”
It is striking how similar this language is to the language used by REALTORS® to support redlining and racially restrictive covenants and oppose the 1968 Fair Housing Act more than fifty years ago.
In 1961, Realtors in Seattle, WA opposed to “open housing” printed and distributed flyers with banners proclaiming “Personal Freedom” and “Your Rights Are at Stake” because they alleged that an open housing law would limit fundamental freedoms and private property rights.
It is well-documented how the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) worked in tandem with federal, state, and local governments to prevent Black Americans from buying homes in neighborhoods of their choice, thereby shutting them out of opportunities to build the generational wealth that government programs helped White Americans accrue. NAR and its predecessor organization, the National Association of Real Estate Boards, codified the real estate industry’s opposition to integration in its 1924 Code of Ethics, supported redlining and racially restrictive covenants, and opposed the 1968 Fair Housing Act. This unfortunate history led NAR President Charlie Oppler to apologize on behalf of NAR in 2020. Oppler said unequivocally that NAR’s past policies in support of racist practices, including steering, redlining, and creating covenants that prohibited nonwhite people from living in certain communities, were wrong.
Despite the claims of the folks at Dayton REALTORS®, Ordinance No. 32024-23 does not infringe on private property rights and does not require housing providers to enter into a program riddled with bureaucratic hurdles.
It does prevent housing providers from advertising or making the blanket statement “No Housing Choice Vouchers,” or “No Section 8”, or “I don’t accept Vouchers.” It does require housing providers to allow people with housing choice vouchers to apply for any unit available for rent or lease that is publicly advertised
The Miami Valley Fair Housing Center strongly supports the City of Dayton Ordinance No. 32024-23. We encourage the Honorable Mayor and Commissioners to vote YES and pass Ordinance No. 32024-23 into law.
Download the entire letter here.
Previous news items are available here. | 
The Home Ownership Center is a non-profit organization that empowers local residents to achieve and sustain homeownership and financial success. They’ve helped thousands of individuals and families meet their homeownership goals through a variety of services offered at low or no cost. You can reach the HomeOwnership Center at 937-853-1600.
Although MVFHC does not provide assistance with landlord/tenant issues unrelated to discrimination, the booklet Your Rights and Duties as a Tenant, presented by Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. and Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc., is a useful resource.
