Fair Housing: What are your rights?
Who decides what is fair? In these tough economic times, this question becomes more and more difficult to answer. When one financial hardship can cause a chain reaction that begins to affect multiple areas of our lives, it can be difficult to know what our rights are. For example, losing one’s job may affect the ability to pay rent, which may then result in an eviction. An eviction will negatively affect one’s credit which can then lead to being denied housing by subsequent landlords. Is this fair? Maybe not. Is this illegal? Not it isn’t.
Landlords are not discriminating against potential renters with a bad credit history. Landlords have not broken any Fair Housing laws against prospects who’ve had evictions, bankruptcies, or any derogatory credit. So what constitutes discrimination?
Under laws enforced by the Department of Fair Employment and Housing you are protected from illegal discrimination and harassment in housing based on: race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, national origin, familial status, source of income, disability, medical condition, age, or any other arbitrary reason.
So when it comes to housing rights, where exactly is the line drawn and how can we know when someone has crossed it? South Bay Community Services’ (SBCS) Community Development Department is a good place to find answers. SBCS staff will both evaluate your housing situation and give sound advice free of charge. Offering both education and advocacy, SBCS strives to help develop educated citizens and consumers who no longer feel anxious that they may be taken advantage of. But the available assistance does not end there.
South Bay Community Services works with numerous families in these exact circumstances, many of whom are dealing with additional hardships in conjunction with the hardship of housing loss and/or discrimination, including: unemployment, lack of food and need for childcare. In collaboration with the San Diego Food Bank, City of Chula Vista and other service agencies, SBCS is able to empower these families and assist in getting them back on their feet by ensuring they know their rights as well as the resources that are available to them. In this way, improving lives becomes a possibility.
By being committed to this kind of success in the community, SBCS has developed a veritable web of programs designed to ensure that everyone is given a fair chance to succeed, free from discrimination. In addition to the primary need of housing, SBCS’ Family Self-Sufficiency program (FSS) works with families to assist with food, utilities, financial education, tax preparation and more; offering a well rounded array of services to assist in their overall victory.
In this way, SBCS has been offering a shoulder for families to lean on since 1971 and with belts being cinched tighter every day and pockets growing more and more shallow, the need for a place to turn to has never been greater. It is important to remember that none of us is alone, especially during these difficult times when we are all being swept up in the current of our national economic downturn. The only answer is to rely on one another which is why now, more than ever, SBCS and our partner agencies are committed to working together to both educate and offer a helping hand to our fellow community members.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of housing discrimination, need more information regarding landlord/tenant issues, or are interested in local resources that may assist with specific housing or other needs, contact South Bay Community Services at 619-420-3620 or 1-800-640-2933.
South Bay Community Services is a non-profit organization providing services, support and opportunities for individuals, families and children in South San Diego County.
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