The Fair Housing Project is pleased to announce a series of free workshops for the general public, housing and service providers, and municipal officials.

We will come to your location and provide an engaging and interactive session with plenty of resources and time for Q&A.

The workshops can be customized for community groups, tenants, home buyers, landlords, nonprofit organizations,  housing providers, service providers, and municipal officials. Each workshop includes an overview of the state and federal fair housing laws, how to identify and report discrimination, reasonable accommodations and modifications, best practices, and topics specific to each group.

The workshop details are below. For scheduling or questions, contact Jess Hyman at jhyman@cvoeo.org or 660-3456 Ext. 106.

For the general public:
FAIR HOUSING IS YOUR RIGHT: FAIR HOUSING LAW, TENANT RIGHTS, AND RESOURCES

• LEARN about the civil rights history of the Fair Housing Act and the resulting protections under Federal and Vermont law.
• GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING of when and how fair housing law applies in Vermont, the exemptions, and remedies.
• IDENTIFY ILLEGAL DISCRIMINATION and learn what to do if you are treated unfairly.
• FIND OUT WHAT YOU CAN ASK FOR: Reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications.
• GET AN OVERVIEW of your rights and responsibilities as a tenant.
• LEAVE WITH RESOURCES including a know-your-rights guide, and information about legal resources and classes on finding housing, household budgeting, and improving your credit score.

For service providers, landlords, property managers:
FAIR HOUSING IS THE LAW: BEST PRACTICES FOR HOUSING AND SERVICE PROVIDERS

• LEARN about the civil rights history of the Fair Housing Act and the resulting protections under Federal and Vermont law.
• GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING of when and how fair housing law applies in Vermont, exemptions, the complaint and investigation process, and remedies.
• GET AN OVERVIEW of requirements for access for people with disabilities, including reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications.
• DISCUSS what to do if a client or tenant is experiencing discrimination.
• LEAVE WITH RESOURCES on best practices for landlords and other housing providers.

For municipal officials, housing providers, and interested citizens:
PLANNING FOR AFFORDABLE, INCLUSIVE HOUSING

• LEARN about the economic and community benefits of affordable, inclusive housing.
• GAIN KNOWLEDGE of the history and provisions of Federal and Vermont fair housing law, how it applies to affordable housing, and the realities of housing discrimination in Vermont.
• DISCUSS ways to determine your community’s housing needs.
• EXPLORE planning and zoning options for making it easier to support affordable housing in your community.
• LEAVE WITH EXAMPLES of regulatory and non-regulatory solutions and next steps for developing a housing needs assessment, or starting a local housing committee.

We also partner with Vermont Tenants, CVOEO’s statewide information and referral program for renters, to offer joint tenant skills / fair housing workshops.

We want to hear from you:

The Thriving Communities blog reaches a diverse cohort of housing and service providers, planners, municipal officials, advocates, and community members who are committed to promoting affordability and inclusiveness as a mainstay of flourishing communities across Vermont and beyond. What types of articles and resources would you like to see in this blog? Send your suggestions and ideas to fhp@cvoeo.org.

⇒ For more information about your fair housing rights and printable resources in multiple languages, visit www.cvoeo.org/fhp