What is Fair Housing? Why is It Important?

In celebration of National Fair Housing Month, Bringing It Home with KHC sat down with Drew Bowling, assistant director of Kentucky Fair Housing Council, to explore fair housing in Kentucky. In this lively episode, Drew explained the concept of fair housing, why it is so important in Kentucky, and how people can report suspected fair housing violations. (Spoiler alert: Go to https://www.kyfairhousing.org/complaint, where you can request an investigation and submit your suspicion anonymously or contact them at 859-971-8067.)

National Fair Housing Month began in 1968 after then President Lyndon B. Johnson, signed the Fair Housing Act, outlawing discrimination in housing transactions. The protections for fair housing have expanded over the last 55 years. No landlord, housing agency, realtor, seller, mortgage lender, appraiser or more can discriminate based on an applicant’s:

• Race and skin color
• Familial status
• Disability
• Gender identity and sexual orientation
• Religion
• Sex and gender
• National origin

Kentucky Fair Housing Council is a nonprofit dedicated to protecting fair housing rights in Kentucky. The organization provides investigations, advocacy, legal representation and counsel to Kentuckians throughout the state free of charge.

As Kentucky Fair Housing says, fair housing is not just their mission, it is the law. As Drew says, you can come stand under their umbrella.