This second episode in our webinar series continues our celebration of Fair Housing Month, honoring the 1968 passage of the Fair Housing Act with a series of public education and art events to raise awareness about housing discrimination in Vermont and the positive role that inclusive, affordable housing plays in thriving communities. As part of that effort, we launched FAIR HOUSING FRIDAYS, a series of informational, interactive video sessions on Fair Housing issues in the context of COVID-19.
- The first session was April 10: “State & Federal Housing Policy: What’s Happening and How it Affects You” with Erhard Mahnke of the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition and Chris Donnelly of Champlain Housing Trust *See video and resources here*
- This second session was recorded April 17: “Tenants’ Rights and Renting during COVID-19”with Erika Johnson of Vermont Legal Aid and Karin Ames of Vermont Tenants *See video and resources below*
- The third session was April 24: “Fair Housing during (and in the wake of) COVID-19” with Melissa Horwitz of the Vermont Human Rights Commission and Ted Wimpey, Fair Housing Expert/Advocate *Sharing soon*
FAIR HOUSING FRIDAYS
“Tenants’ Rights and Renting during COVID-19”
Our topic for this second installment of the series of webinars for Fair Housing Month was Tenants’ Rights and Renting during COVID-19. We had two special guest presenters: Erika Johnson of Vermont Legal Aid and Karin Ames of Vermont Tenants, with Madeline Roberts from Vermont Tenants joining us for the Q&A portion of the webinar.
Click here for a list of links referenced in our discussions. As always, we recommend renters who have questions about their tenancy and their rights call our Tenants Hotline 802-864 2047 or visit www.vttenants.org. If you have additional questions not answered in this video, please shoot us an email at fhp@cvoeo.org and we will do our best to guide you to the resource you need.
FAIR HOUSING BASICS
Fair Housing is the right to equal opportunity in housing choice and the right to rent or buy a dwelling free from discrimination.
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination concerning the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, and as amended, disability and family status.
Vermont has additional protections based on age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, receipt of public assistance, being a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, and denial of development permitting based on the income of prospective residents.
For more information about Fair Housing in Vermont, visit www.cvoeo.org/FHP.
To learn more about Thriving Communities: Building a Vibrant Inclusive Vermont, a statewide collaboration to raise awareness about the economic and social benefits of affordable, inclusive housing, visit www.thrivingcommunitiesvt.org
Fair Housing Month activities in Vermont are coordinated by the Fair Housing Project of CVOEO in collaboration with ONE Arts Center and other partners, and with the support of the Champions of Affordable Inclusive Housing and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Contact the Fair Housing Project of the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity at fhp@cvoeo.org or (802) 660-3456