NFHA Issues Statement on the Passing of Walter Mondale
- At April 20, 2021
- By fhfla
- In News
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Washington, D.C. — Lisa Rice, President and CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA), issued the following statement on the passing of former Vice President, Senator, and civil rights icon Walter Mondale:
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Walter Mondale, an incredible stalwart for justice and human rights. His death is a huge loss for the fair housing community for which he was a staunch ally and longtime friend.
“As a senator, Mondale (D-Minn.) co-authored the landmark Fair Housing Act of 1968 with Sen. Ed Brooke (R-Mass.). This iconic civil rights law banned discrimination in all types of housing and required jurisdictions receiving housing funding to affirmatively further fair housing (AFFH), which meant they must take meaningful steps to end discrimination, tackle the harmful effects of segregation, and connect all communities to opportunity. The law also established the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity to fully enforce all components of the law. The Fair Housing Act continues to be a vital tool for creating a just and equitable society.
“Over the years, Vice President Mondale graciously lent his support to NFHA’s fair housing efforts, and I am so humbled to have had the opportunity to work with him to advance these shared goals. He provided support on the award-winning 2018 short film, “Seven Days,” which was produced by NFHA and Nationwide Insurance Company to mark the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act. I had the honor of hearing him speak at a 2015 Fair Housing Month event at HUD, during which he pushed for the vigorous enforcement of AFFH. In 2008, Vice President Mondale served as the Honorary Co-Chair for the 40th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act along with Sen. Ed Brooke and Dorothy Height.
“Walter Mondale had a level of integrity and love for people that I can only hope other lawmakers will seek to emulate, especially at this moment in time when our country continues to grapple with so many ongoing crises—health, economic, and social. The issues we face today will continue to worsen unless we fully enforce our nation’s seminal fair housing law, which Vice President Mondale fought so hard to enact.”
“R.I.P. Vice President Mondale. Thank you for all you have done to free our country from the last vestige of Jim Crow in our society today. Housing Discrimination. We will finish the JOB”, stated Vince Larkins, FHC President/CEO and member of the NFHA Board of Directors.
