New Report Uncovers Housing Discrimination Against the Latino Community

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Every year, there are more than four million incidents of housing discrimination that occur in the United States. Yet these incidents are tremendously underreported, particularly within the Latino community. A new NCLR and Equal Rights Center (ERC) report, “Puertas Cerradas: Housing Barriers for Hispanics,” takes a closer look at the housing experience of Hispanics in three Southern cities: Birmingham, Alabama; Atlanta, Georgia; and San Antonio, Texas. Although the federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on national origin, our investigation reveals that Latinos continue to face adverse or differential treatment when trying to buy or rent a home.

Ohio Fair Housing group gets new trial in discrimination suit over ‘bachelor pad’ apartment ad

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CINCINNATI — Fair housing advocates on Monday won a new trial in a federal lawsuit against an Ohio company that advertised an apartment as “a great bachelor pad” for men looking to “hook up.”

A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted a second trial to the nonprofit Miami Valley Fair Housing Center, saying the judge at the first trial erred in giving incorrect and prejudicial jury instructions. 

US SUES FLA OVER DISABLED KIDS IN NURSING HOMES

MIAMI– The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Florida on Monday, accusing the state of unnecessarily institutionalizing about 200 disabled children in nursing homes and cutting services that would allow them to receive care at home.

Federal investigators visited six nursing homes around the state and identified about 200 children who didn’t need to be there and could benefit from care at home or elsewhere in the community. They found that once in the facilities, many children stay for years, some growing up in the nursing homes.

The investigation found cold, hospital-like facilities where children share common areas with elderly patients and rarely leave or go outside. Investigators noted that the children are not exposed to social, educational or recreational activities critical to development. They also said educational opportunities are limited to as little as 45 minutes a day and that many of the children’s families live hundreds of miles away, according to the lawsuit.

Parents say they have no other option because the state has slashed in-homes services, including nursing care for critically ill children on ventilators and feeding tubes.

Investigators also said Florida is violating the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and infringing on the children’s civil rights by segregating and isolating them. The average length of stay is three years, federal officials said. Many of the children are physically disabled but mentally cognizant.

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NEW BILL INTRODUCED TO PROHIBIT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION BASED ON MILITARY SERVICE

Washington, CT – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.) introduced the Veterans and Service Members Employment Rights and Housing Act of 2013, a bill that would provide veterans and service members with the same protected status as many other groups and prohibit discrimination on the basis of military service or veteran status. Under Blumenthal and Kilmer’s bill, veterans and service members facing discrimination could appeal their grievances to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Fair Housing Act would be amended to add military status as being protected under the law for service members or veterans who want to rent or purchase a home.

Misperceptions about veterans have led some employers and landlords to hesitate when looking at a veteran’s application. In a 2012 Center for a New American Security study, over 50 percent of interviewed employers cited “negative stereotype” as a reason why they might not hire a veteran. AMVETS – a veterans service organization that has worked extensively to combat this issue – has found numerous examples of people who were fired or denied rent applications because of their military or veteran status.

“AMVETS is appreciative of Senator Blumenthal and Congressman Kilmer’s leadership in introducing this important and long overdue legislation that will grant American veterans freedom from discrimination in both the workplace and housing,” AMVETS National Executive Director Stewart Hickey said. “The same rights these veterans fought to preserve for their fellow Americans will now be afforded to them upon passage of this bill.”

While many states – including Connecticut – have legal protections for veterans, and some states – including Washington – have already made veterans a protected class, there is no comprehensive federal law that protects all those who have served in uniform. For example, although the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) is in effect, far too many Reservists still return home to find that they have missed out on a job promotion, or that some employers do not want to hire them because they are wary of their future deployments. In addition, USERRA does not cover housing discrimination at all. Blumenthal and Kilmer’s bill would protect all military service members and prohibit housing discrimination.