8.5 Community Efforts to Improve Housing Access
Elizabeth B. Pearce; Wesley Sharp; and Katherine Hemlock
Understanding and acknowledging past injustices is the first step toward making homes equitably available to all families. Efforts to make changes come from multiple directions. There are legislative changes (some which have passed and some that are proposed), and nonprofit agencies and advocacy groups that work both legislatively and with direct action. In addition, there are grassroots efforts to change neighborhood dynamics and to add resources.
Updating the Fair Housing Act with the Equality Act
Activism, pictured in figure 8.16, contributed to the passage of The Fair Housing Act in 1968. It originally banned the sale and rental of housing (and other housing practices) indicating preference or discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin. In 1974, it was amended to include sex, and in 1988, people with disabilities and people with children. To date, the Fair Housing Act does not protect gender identity or sexual orientation.
In 2016, a rule by HUD ensured equal access to Community Planning and Development programs regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or marriage status. Nonconforming gender individuals may find it difficult to access services as this rule applies to one specific program (and not to other public or private programs) (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2016).
The 2019 Equality Act is an attempt to make all Americans equal in work, housing, and other public environments. The Equality Act has been proposed multiple times since the 1970s, the most recent being a 2021 bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives that would amend the Civil Rights Act to “prohibit discrimination on the basis of the sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition of an individual, as well as because of sex-based stereotypes.” This act was sent to the U.S. Senate most recently in March 2021 and was reintroduced in both chambers in 2023. It has not yet passed (Equality Act, 2021).
Addressing Houselessness: Housing First
People who are houseless can experience an overlap of social problems, such as poverty, untreated mental illness, unemployment, and addictions. Traditionally, programs attempt to help people become “ready for housing” via support and criteria that may require multiple moves. For example, the person must become sober or employed first. A relatively new and innovative approach called Housing First sprung from grassroots efforts as early as 1988 in California and 1992 in New York. Simply put, Housing First prioritizes providing people with stable housing, which makes solving other problems more likely. Having a secure home and consistent access to schooling, transportation, and support services means that people can be more successful in addressing overlapping issues such as mental health, addiction, and seeking employment.
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