Program areas at Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit
FHCMD conducted 426 intakes, consisting of 212 housing discrimination complaints and 214 general housing related inquiries. Of the 212 housing discrimination complaints, 52 involved allegations of disability discrimination, 22 involved allegations of race discrimination, and 7 involved allegations of source of income discrimination. As in other years, a high percentage of persons served by the FHCMD are of low or moderate income. Over 85 of the discrimination complaints were submitted by women, often women with children. A total of 68 of the discrimination complaints were submitted by Black or African American complainants. FHCMD never charges complainants for complaint intake, investigation, fair housing testing, enforcement proceedings, negotiation, conciliation, or any other fair housing services provided.
Most complaints are resolved informally. Nontheless, enforcement proceedings, at times, are necessary. During this program year, FHCMD inititated 19 enforcement actions. Additionally, FHCMD continued its representation of tenants as lead counsel in a fair housing case before the Michigan Supreme Court involving the standard for reviewing disability certifications. Additional details are found in FHCMDs 2022 Annual Report, located on FHCMDs website.
FHCMD provided over 59 fair housing training and education events, nearly doubling last years total of 30. At the national level, FHCMD presented in HUDs September 21, 2022 National Fair Housing Training Academy Forum, Addressing Systemic Housing Challenges Racism in the Homebuying Process. FHCMD also presented before the Lincoln Commission on Human Rights and the City of Omahas Department of Human Rights and Relations, the Suffolk University Law School, Legal Aid of Arkansas, California law students, and the Davenport Civil Rights Commission. At the state level, FHCMD presented twice at the May 2022 Building Michigan Communities Conference Fair Housing for Vulnerable Populations and Oakland County Fair Housing Initiative- Source of Income.