Our Work | The case stemmed from an investigation, jointly funded by ERASE Racism and the Fair Housing Justice . Laura is a Senior Staff Attorney at Fair Share Housing Center. She joined the organization in 2021. They alleged that Redfin's minimum home price policy violated the federal Fair Housing Act by discriminating against sellers and buyers of homes in communities . With this funding, we will be able to conduct more fair housing testing and outreach to our region and beyond. Meet Fred Freiberg, the Executive Director of the Fair Housing Justice Center (FHJC), a nonprofit civil rights organization dedicated to eliminating housing discrimination, promoting policies that foster inclusive communities, and strengthening enforcement of fair housing laws. Defendants discriminatory conduct violated multiple state, federal, and local statutes, and we were glad to be able help the clients attain a measure of justice and vindicate their rights, stated attorney Zack Zaharoff,who along with attorneys Blake Denton, Angela Dunay, Faust Petkovich, and Scott Kanchuger represented the plaintiffs. Investment in Fair Housing Testing Program Will Increase Investigations into Housing Discrimination and Enhance Education and Outreach Efforts on Fair Housing Rights. The panel included Bryan Greene, general deputy assistant secretary of the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity; Fred Freiberg, executive director of the Fair Housing Justice Center; Diane Levy, senior research associate at the Urban Institute; and Len Albright, assistant professor of sociology and public policy at Northeastern University. 317-644-0673, ext. She is involved in all aspects of the Centers advocacy including litigating before the Appellate Division and testifying at Legislative hearings. Prior to joining the FHJC in 2022, NAndrea worked for several years at Riseboro Community Partnership, a Brooklyn nonprofit dedicated to homelessness prevention, where she held various positions including Intake Specialist. . Fair Housing Rights and Remedies. Like all FHJC testers, Craig is also a professional actor. His career in fair housing spans more than forty-five years during which time he has testified in dozens of fair housing cases, published fair housing articles, and received numerous awards for his accomplishments in the fair housing field. and J.D. He is also a long-suffering fan of the New York Mets. Their work as Executive Committee members has been invaluable during my transition as a new Executive Director, and Im very pleased that they will all be continuing on as Board members. She added, Im looking forward to working closely with our new officers and the entire Board as the FHJC continues our mission to make fair housing a living reality for all.. He previously served as the FHJCs Executive Director for nine years before transitioning to his current position in 2021. The settlement provides $230,000 for plaintiffs' damages, attorney's fees and costs and requires substantial changes to the rental operations at the apartment complex, located off Jericho Turnpike at 11 Mayfair Garden, Commack, New York. In her hopes to build community between Rutgers Law students and New Jersey organizers and to help shape a legal system that serves everyday people rather than the corporate status-quo, she co-founded a chapter of Peoples Parity Project at Rutgers. As an Intake & Outreach Specialist, Crystal assists individuals with housing discrimination complaints, and conducts outreach regarding fair housing rights and responsibilities. who in January became the new executive director of the Baltimore-based Public Justice Center - a local and national leader in public interest law reform that uses legal advocacy to pursue social . and M.S. They created lanes not only through voting rights, housing, and education, but also through the ability to advocate for my community., ENSURING EQUITABLE DISASTER RELIEF & CLIMATE RESILIENCE, ADDRESSING RACIAL AND ECONOMIC DISPARITIES. The policy . Paul has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Binghamton University in Environmental Studies and also studied accounting and database management at NYU. Eastchester Town Supervisor Tony Colavita said that Eastchester taxpayers wont feel the impact of the settlement as the towns insurance carrier will pay the settlement and the legal costs incurred in fighting the civil rights case. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Arts Management from the State University of New York College at Purchase where he received the Senatorial Appreciation Award in recognition of outstanding service as Chairman of the Public Arts Council and School of the Arts Senator. As part of the FHJCs Investigative Coordinator team, Evan conducts research and leads and structures housing discrimination investigations. Our Fair Housing Testing program complements Governor Hochuls New York Housing Compact, which will proactively address disparities in housing access, exclusionary zoning, and other barriers that impede fair housing goals, and help us build a better and more equitable New York for all.. We maintain that these residency preferences are unlawful because they discriminate, based on race, in a community like Eastchester that is predominantly white.. Michael Chavarria, Executive Director of HOPE Fair Housing Center. Prior to joining FSHC she worked in education as a Research Assistant at Carnegie Mellon University and as a high school English teacher. Shaye Belcon, National Projects and Investigations Coordinator (she/her) As part of the resolution of the case, the couple has received monetary payments totaling over $50,000. Zoey is a Staff Attorney at Fair Share Housing Center. Crystal Reyes, Intake & Outreach Specialist (she/her) Since 2011, he has been the Executive Director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania. . He later attended Rutgers Law School. At that meeting the establishment of the International Union of American Republics was approved. ", Elizabeth Grossman, Executive Director of the Fair Housing Justice Center, said, The Fair Housing Justice Center is immensely grateful for this support from HCR and we are eager to get to work on new testing and outreach activities. The successful candidate will be responsible for providing inspirational leadership to the organization to ensure that it continues as a leading champion of fair housing policies in Massachusetts. Mr. Freiberg is one the nation's leading experts on the use of undercover testing as an investigative tool to [] Today, the Fair Housing Justice Center (FHJC) announced a new state court lawsuit against three licensed real estate agents working with the online real estate company Finders NYC and the real estate company itself. | 212.400.8201, Home | Executive Director of Fair Housing Justice Center. Resources | Michelle de la Uz Executive Director, Fifth Avenue Committee. More details of the original complaint can be read HERE. The FHJC provides a full-service fair housing program to New York City and the seven surrounding New York counties of Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester. Craig Waletzko, Community Engagement Coordinator (he/him) She joined the FHJC in 2019, after working on advancing racial equity on Long Island in education and housing at ERASE Racism. She joined the organization in 2022. It was a long fight, said Fred Frieberg, executive director of the Fair Housing Justice Center. News. Ian Wilder, Executive Director of Long Island Housing Services, said, Long Island Housing Services is grateful to New York State for supporting much needed fair housing work. Assisting the Executive Director in all aspects of FSHC daily operations and strategic planning, Eric also focuses on development, advocacy and communication, policy, and coalition building in order to bring about racial, economic and social integration. He then joined the organization in 2022 as a Toll Public Interest Fellow. BOSTON - The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts filed a lawsuit today alleging that the Chicopee Housing Authority and its Executive Director, Monica Blazic, violated the Fair Housing Act based on disability. Ms. Nacinovich is an attorney at a non-prot, representing poor Bronx residents in a wide range of civil matters. The mission of the FHJC, a nonprofit civil rights organization, is to eliminate housing discrimination; promote policies and programs that foster open, accessible, and inclusive communities; and strengthen enforcement of fair housing laws in the New York City region. It gave a preference to residents age 55 as well as toimmediate family of current or former residents, and relatives of town residents. The Fair Housing Center of Southeast & Mid Michigan welcomed Fred Freiberg, Executive Director of the Fair Housing Justice Center in New York, as the guest speaker at our charity event on Thursday, March 21st in Ann Arbor. What I didnt know back then was how much of an impact FSHC was having on a national scale, translating its knowledge and experience at the state level to work on housing justice across the country.. Fair Housing Justice Center Executive Team & Key Decision Makers. During her free time, Gabrielle enjoys writing and performing spoken word poetry. Prior to joining the FHJC in 2022, she was a pathways trainee at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where she worked in the Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity division. Governor Hochul Announces Expanded Efforts to Combat Housing Discrimination Across New York, As we expand access to housing across New York State, I am using all of the resources at my disposal to combat housing discrimination and ensure that all New Yorkers are treated with dignity, fairness, and respect when seeking the housing of their choice,, Our investment in this crucial program sends a clear message: housing discrimination will not be tolerated here in New York., The Fair Housing Testing Program is administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewals Fair and Equitable Housing Office and expands the pilot testing program established by the office in 2021. She was promoted to Senior Investigative Coordinator in 2017 and to her current position in 2021. Colavita lamented having to eliminate the housing preference. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her wife and dogs and drinking lots of coffee. New Jersey Housing Justice Corps Fellowesmedevenney@fairsharehousing.org, It is important to me to live in an equitable and democratic society, and that cannot be reached without economic freedom for everyone.. Paul Carlson, Financial Manager (he/him) Also, he moonlights as a personal assistant to a dachshund. All of the attorneys are with the law firm ofLatham & Watkins LLP. As Director of Development, Eric oversees all of the FHJCs fundraising, grant writing, and reporting. According to his testimony, the underlying law has three requirements: that . Zoe Brokos (she/her) is the executive director of the Church of Safe Injection, a comprehensive harm reduction program that operates in Southern and Central Maine. She recently graduated from Yale Law School where she was a member of the Community and Economic Development Clinic, and chair of the Yale Urban Law and Policy Society. Prior, she held positions at the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers, Drug Policy Alliance, the Maryland Governors Office of Crime Control & Prevention, and the Coalition for Juvenile Justice. As National Field Consultant, Fred works part-time on fair housing projects of national significance. Fred, who co-founded the FHJC in 2004, is recognized as one of the nations leading experts on the use of testing as an investigative tool for enforcing civil rights laws. The program also provides continuity to the Eliminating Barriers to Housing New York testing and outreach program launched by the New York Office of the Attorney General in partnership with Enterprise Community Partners. | 212.400.8201, Home | The State of New York does not imply approval of the listed destinations, warrant the accuracy of any information set out in those destinations, or endorse any opinions expressed therein. Diane Houk Executive Director at Fair Housing Justice Center New York, New York, United States 3 connections Not a single tester with a voucher was able to schedule an apartment viewing or receive any further information from Finders NYC after disclosing their voucher. NEW YORK, Feb. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Driven by a lawsuit brought by Fair Housing Justice Center (FHJC) and two individual plaintiffs against the New York Department of Health (DOH) in 2018, . Senior Staff Attorneylauradenker@fairsharehousing.org, I am inspired by the persistent scrappiness of all my coworkers, from the ones working behind the scenes running the organization to those making headlines. The lawsuit was brought after a lengthy investigation was conducted by NFHA and the other fair housing organizations. The Fair Housing Justice Center (FHJC) is pleased to announce its newly elected slate of officers. He continues to be an advocate for civil rights and social justice. Our Team. The complaint alleged discrimination based on race and religion. They created lanes not only through voting rights, housing, and education, but also through the ability to advocate for my community.. When not working, hes an avid cyclist and reader of American history. Leverage your professional network, and get hired. The outreach funding will provide an enhanced opportunity for us to increase awareness of fair housing rights and responsibilities, especially the strong protections that New York State has put in place to counter source-of-income discrimination, and to provide training to tenants, home seekers, and housing providers. Alex completed her Bachelor of Science in Family Science and her Juris Doctor at the University of Maryland. Previously, he had worked in fundraising and development at ICD-Institute for Career Development, and has worked with The Doe Fund, helping residents of homeless shelters to find housing and employment. Director Area B Ann Beitel Del Rio [email protected] Director State Fair of Texas (979)532-9141 [email protected] Nathan Cradduck, President Austin, Texas 78701. Rachel has served on the Supreme Court of New Jersey District X Fee Arbitration Committee as an appointed volunteer attorney, is trained in collaborative law, and received her certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace from the University of Southern Florida. Gabrielle is part of the FHJCs Investigative Coordinator team, designing and leading housing discrimination investigations and performing systemic research. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, and Amherst College. She has a longstanding history of service as pro bono counsel in the areas of child advocacy, musical arts, and domestic violence. Resources | Executive Director, Fair Housing Justice Center. As Evidence Manager, Robs duties include supporting the Investigative Coordinators, preserving and transferring evidence, and maintaining testing equipment. Dec 1999 - Aug 202121 years 9 months. Since 2014, Eric has worked at New York based nonprofits with a focus on equity in employment and housing. She attended the University of Michigan and the University of Michigan Law School. Her association with the FHJC began when she and her husband contacted the organization after facing suspected racial discrimination in Brooklyn. Our investment in this crucial program sends a clear message: housing discrimination will not be tolerated here in New York.. Consulting Disaster Recovery Attorney davidrammler@fairsharehousing.org, FSHC, since its inception, has fought well above its weight class and driven the development and maintenance of affordable, racially integrated, rental residences in neighborhoods of opportunity for scores of thousands of families.. This is a free webinar but for internet security purposes, registration is required. Our Work | Evan has also worked as a fair housing tester at Housing Opportunities Made Equal. 302, Long Island City, NY 11101 Several of the complaints were referred to the FHJC by the nonprofit advocacy group Unlock NYC. New York State partnered with six nonprofit organizations across the state to deploy undercover testers to act as potential renters and home seekers. In her . She began her professional career working in corporate human resources and transitioned to the social services field in search of something more fulfilling. She is a former chair of the Civil Rights Committee at the New York City Bar Association and a committed advocate of civil rights. Lucille Duncan, Office Manager (she/her) Zoe is a person who uses drugs, a mom, a wife, and has led harm reduction programs in Maine for 15 years. The Fair Housing Justice Center (FHJC) is a nonprofit civil rights organization that serves all five boroughs of New York City and seven surrounding New York counties. Black Americans have been fighting for freedom from all oppression that has hindered our nation from reaching its full potential and living up to its pledge, One Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all!. In March, Fair Housing Justice Center executive director Fred Freiberg testified in Washington D.C against the termination of the 2015 AFFH rule, saying the rule had existed since the Fair Housing Act of 1968 existed and that Obama's rule merely gave it needed teeth. Mr. Bauers attended Rutgers- Camden as an undergraduate and received his degree in Social Work in 2011. The Fair Housing Justice Center (FHJC) has reached a settlement with four assisted living facilities in a lawsuit challenging discrimination against people with disabilities, particularly wheelchair users. Prior to joining the FHJC in 2022, she worked at the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland and for an immigration law firm in New Jersey. Eastchester resident Janet Harrison, who is raising her children in a bi-racial family, said it took a civil rights lawsuit to spark action by the town. Alex is the Director of Advocacy and Communications at Fair Share Housing Center. Eickemeyer, an attorney, said the lawsuit should have been resolved much quicker. Eastchester jettisoned that program, transferring its vouchers to Westchester County to administer. Elizabeth Grossman, Executive Director/General Counsel (she/her) The Fair Housing Testing Program is administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewals Fair and Equitable Housing Office and expands the pilot testing program established by the office in 2021. The NC Justice Center works through seven projects that provide in-depth expertise in the major policy areas impacting poor and working North Carolinians: Consumer, Housing & Energy Project, Education & Law Project, Fair Chance Criminal Justice Project, Health Advocacy Project, Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project, NC Policy Watch, and . record of achievement and commitment to justice of MFHC. Resources | Previously, she served as Interim Chief Legal Officer at the Southern Poverty Law Center in conjunction with her private consulting practice. The Fair Housing Justice Center (FHJC) is pleased to announce its newly elected slate of officers. Elizabeth joined the FHJC in 2021 as Executive Director. Follow Tax Watch columnist David McKay Wilson on Facebook or Twitter @davidmckaywils1. He joined the organization in 2015 as the Inaugural Maida Public Interest Fellow. He began working with the FHJC in 2017 as Office Manager before assuming his current role in 2019. I have never worked with a more passionate group of people that will go above and beyond to accomplish the mission.. Meet Fred Freiberg, the Executive Director of the Fair Housing Justice Center (FHJC), a nonprofit civil rights organization dedicated to eliminating housing discrimination, promoting policies that foster inclusive communities, and strengthening enforcement of fair housing laws. At the time, his work included working as a housing counselor to help homeowners avoid foreclosure, and designing and leading the citys programs focused on temporary housing and disaster lawyering. Obama's HUD Secretary Julian Castro where she was a guiding . Driven by a lawsuit brought by Fair Housing Justice Center (FHJC) and two individual plaintiffs against the New York Department of Health (DOH) in 2018, the State of New York has issued new regulations that address decades of discrimination against people who use wheelchairs. Britny McKenzie, Policy Manager (she/hers) From a young age, Tanushree was interested in issues of economic justice and wealth inequality; she wished to understand why some neighborhoods and people are poor while others thrive. The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts announced today that they have filed an amended complaint alleging that the Chicopee Housing Authority and its Executive Director, Monica Blazic, violated federal law by discriminating against residents based on race, national origin and disability. Fair Housing Justice Center. 488 followers. failed to design and construct a rental . As Legal Coordinator, Madhulikas duties include managing the FHJCs legal docket and coordinating with the FHJCs cooperating attorneys, including non-profit partners and law firms. When prospective renters call Finders NYC, they are instructed to submit additional information via text to be pre-qualified. On disclosing their voucher, most prospective renters receive the same response: To our knowledge, all of our landlords work with vouchers & programs. Eric also founded Planting Seeds of Hope, a non-profit focused on youth development and education, and he served as the PA Clergy Outreach Director for Obamas 2008 Presidential Campaign. Fred was a founder and the first Executive Director of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council from 1977-1981. If you are a senior citizen in Eastchester and your intention was to go to your same church, go to your same doctor and have family around you as you grow older, removing the preference was not good, he said. From 1999 2002, Fred directed the fieldwork in two national research projects conducted by the Urban Institute involving testing a study of mortgage lending practices and the national Housing Discrimination Study (HDS). The Organization of American States (OAS) is the world's oldest regional organization, dating back to the First International Conference of American States, held in Washington, D.C., from October 1889 to April 1890. DeAnna Eason, Executive Director of Housing Opportunities Made Equal, said, Education and outreach are imperative to the eradication of discrimination in housing and the furtherance of fair housing. Nevertheless, Freiberg said that residency preferences would most likely not be allowed under the Fair Housing Act in a suburb like Eastchester. Executive Director/General Counsel for the FHJC. As the FHJCs first-ever Director of Investigations, Alaine manages all investigative activities and supervises investigative staff. "If that residency preference can be shown to have a discriminatory effect on protected populations, it is likely unlawful under the Fair Housing Act," said Freiberg. His fellowship through the Rutgers University School of Law focused on redevelopment and affordable housing. Most recently, he served as the Director of Development at Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow, helping out-of-school and out-of-work young adults to access education and employment. FHJC Executive Director . In her role as an Investigative Coordinator, Andrea designs and leads housing discrimination investigations and performs systemic research. La. She has been a member of the FHJC Board since 2019. A senior advertising executive, Ms. Sullivan-Brady has been a Board member since 2013. Outside of work, she is a classical pianist and vocalist and enjoys crocheting. The Government of India (ISO: Bhrat Sarkr; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, consisting of 28 union states and eight union territories.Under the Constitution, there are three primary branches of government: the . He joined the organization in 2012 following Hurricane Sandy. Cypress Hills: Small Homes Help Desk Counselor. Her time as a community organizer in central New Jersey informs her passion for affordable housing and tenants rights advocacy. Since joining the FHJC as an Investigative Coordinator in 2015, she has coordinated hundreds of testing investigations, including complex systemic investigations, and testified in several legal cases. and Unlock NYC who shared information about the discriminatory practices we are challenging here," said FHJC Executive Director Elizabeth Grossman. In addition to his FHJC experience, he has over 20 years of experience with New York-based nonprofits including fair housing testing, door-to-door canvassing, environmental education, computer programming, database management, and bookkeeping. Paola is also a certified Occupancy Specialist for LIHTC Compliance. Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a $2.2 million expansion of New Yorks Fair Housing Testing Program designed to root out discrimination in home rental and sale transactions. In the past, Tanushree has worked for the City of Bostons Housing Innovation Lab on local ADU policy and for the United States Congress Joint Committee on Taxation. Westchester County, meanwhile, remains under a 2009 federal consent order to build 750 units of affordable housing to settle a False Claims Act lawsuit over the county's failure to affirmatively further fair housing. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Rutgers University where she was a member of the Honors Living Learning Community (HLLC), and is currently a candidate for a Masters of Arts in Human Rights Studies at Columbia University. During her law school career, she gained experience interning at several nonprofit organizations including the Center for Art Law in Brooklyn, the Anti-Trafficking and Labor Exploitation Unit in London and the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics in Singapore. Joshs experience includes successfully overturning invalid zoning ordinances and reversing arbitrary and capricious Planning Board denials when municipal boards attempt to block affordable housing developments. News, 2008 2017 FAIR HOUSING JUSTICE CENTER, 30-30 Northern Blvd., Ste. Flatbush Development Corporation: Housing Director. The programs outreach and training will focus on fair housing protections including for those with arrest and conviction histories. | 212.400.8201, Home | Tanushree Bansal is a Legal Fellow at Fair Share Housing Center. 302, Long Island City, NY 11101 Martina is a Communications Strategist at Fair Share Housing Center. 2008 2022 FAIR HOUSING JUSTICE CENTER | 30-30 Northern Blvd., Ste.