When looking for a place to live, what is most important to you? Safety, good schools, a short commute? What if you found the perfect home but the landlord or seller refused to consider you?
Housing discrimination is illegal. To bring attention to the problem, the County Board of Supervisors declared April 2015 Fair Housing Month throughout San Diego County during its meeting Tuesday. Federal law say it is unlawful to discriminate in housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability and the presence of children. California law also makes it unlawful to discriminate in housing based on age (over 40), medical condition, veteran status, gender or sexual orientation.
In announcing the proclamation, Supervisor Dave Roberts quoted Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro.
“No family should ever be denied the opportunity to own or rent a home because of what they look like, where they come from, how they get around, how they speak, who they love and other circumstances of life,” said Supervisor Dave Roberts. “We ask that all residents of our great county join us in supporting the practices of fair housing.”
The proclamation was presented to the San Diego Regional Alliance for Fair Housing, as represented by Kelly Matthews from North County Lifeline, Estela De Los Rios from the Center for Social Advocacy San Diego and Monica Samayoa from South Bay Community Services.
“You would be amazed how many people are still living in the ‘50s with the mentality that I own this house, when I rent it, I can rent it to only who I want to and I can discriminate against the rest. After all it’s my house,” said Matthews. “But we have to let them know, yeah, it’s your house but if you want to be a landlord there are some rules you’ve got to follow.”
Landlords and sellers can get information on fair housing laws and tenants can learn their rights by calling the Fair Housing Hotline at (760) 842-6226 or toll free at (866) 954-3354.
The San Diego Regional Alliance for Fair Housing is also hosting a public hearing on the status of fair housing in the San Diego County region later this month. Every five years, the region’s jurisdictions receiving federal housing funds work together to develop a report called the Analysis to Impediments of Fair Housing Choice. The public is invited to give their feedback on the draft for 2015 to 2019. The final report will be used as a basis for fair housing planning. The public hearing will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. on April 21 at the County Department of Housing and Community Development located at 3989 Ruffin Road.
For more information about fair housing, visit the County’s Housing and Community Development website.
