Welcome to the Fair Housing Council of Greater Sacramento

We dedicate ourselves to the letter and spirit of the Fair Housing Act, a law borne in the chaos of a nation after the murder of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Even after more than a half-century since its enactment, too many of our people remain unhoused or inadequately housed, barred for reasons over which they have no control.

The premiere of this service is long overdue. The Sacramentans from the private and public sectors have found a common bond in this creation. Conceived in a community-wide sense of need and justice, the Fair Housing Council, FairHousingSacramento.org, will target fair housing obstructions arising out of a dearth of affordable housing and imbalance in landlord/tenant relations for reasons prohibited by the Act.

The cornerstone in advancing fair housing supports equal access to decent, affordable, and accessible housing in the Sacramento Region, incorporating education, public awareness, and enforcement.

At the Fair Housing Council of Greater Sacramento, we aspire to help protect the rights of those who believe they face unlawful housing bias. While federal, state, and local laws are not always the same, all seek to eliminate housing discrimination which may take different forms, intended or otherwise. We seek to offer fair housing education, advocacy, and enforcement which may include fighting discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. At times we may partner with local, state, and federal agencies, other nonprofits, housing consumers, and housing providers.

Potential and actual housing consumers in our region regularly face barriers when seeking or remaining in affordable and accessible housing.  Despite the best efforts of many, housing discrimination remains a barrier. Historically, California has had a fair housing law, the 1963 Rumford Fair Housing Act. Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act, the federal Fair Housing Act, was enacted five years later. The Fair Housing Council acknowledges the Act is maximized with knowledgeable intervention. Community fair housing agency enforcement here ended a decade ago, all the more reason why we’re here.

While there have been little, if any, local housing bias compliance efforts, enforcement can enjoin housing bias and help secure other relief provided by law. That’s an important reason why we’ve dedicated ourselves to the letter and spirit of the Fair Housing Act.

Homelessness can rise when a housing consumer, for example, a single mother with children, misses one rent payment. With creative efforts, we can seek to avoid the loss of a home and save taxpayers substantial costs in the long run. Tackling the struggle to overcome unequal housing opportunities with a thoughtful, creative entrepreneurial approach can aid in creating innovative solutions, making the best possible use of limited available funds.

The Fair Housing Council’s intervention may make the difference between retaining residency and eviction. The diversity of the Greater Sacramento region should be a recognition of the richness of our diversity, so let us march on ‘til victory against housing discrimination is won!