Happy Fair Housing Month! April was designated Fair Housing Month in honor of the passage of the Fair Housing Act on April 11th, 1968. The purpose of this month is to bring awareness to the history of fair housing and it's role in the Civil Rights Movement, as well as to highlight current efforts being made to end housing discrimination. For more information on this year's 52nd Fair Housing Month commemoration, check out HUD's press release on the topic.

"Why I Left Retirement For HOPE Fair Housing Center"

Meet Our New Interim Executive Director, Kathy Clark

"I have always had a deep-seated belief that all persons should have a decent place to live.  In my social service career, I managed programs for foster children and the homeless. Later in life, when I went to law school, I developed a passion for civil rights and especially fair housing.   I spent my legal career focused on fair housing and the rights of tenants.  During 7 years of retirement I kept busy with volunteer work, some consulting and mediation, taking care of my garden, and a regular schedule at my health club.  A great life.  I attended the farewell tribute to Anne, a friend and colleague, who had elevated Hope to being one of the premier fair housing agencies in the country.  I was surprised to be offered the role of Interim Executive Director, after having told the Board President that I would be happy to help, I didn’t think twice, and said yes.  Not sure why I didn’t sleep on it overnight, but I am gratified to have the opportunity to work with Hope’s staff and board until a new executive director is hired."  

                     -Kathy Clark

Virtual Outreach Update

Due to all in person event's being cancelled for the month, HOPE staff members have been looking for new ways to take our outreach digital. After sending out a survey and hearing from you about what materials are most needed, we are proud to release our first video "What Is Fair Housing?" which provides a quick 5 minute overview on what fair housing is, the Fair Housing Act of 1968, and common implementations of the Fair Housing Act. This video is available on our Facebook page to make it easier to share to your community. Check it out!

Retrofit Funds

HOPE Fair Housing Center currently has designated funds to help people with accessibility issues within their living space. We are giving grants of up to $15,000 per household. These funds can be used to address issues that affect the health or safety of their families, and are available to anyone in our service area. For more information and an application, check out our retrofit funding information page! 

Enforcement Update

With the uncertainty and fear that this pandemic has created, now more than ever it is important be vigilant against violations of your rights. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, there has been an increase in reported hate crimes against Asian-Americans, due to misplaced blame and bigotry. Here at HOPE Fair Housing Center we are continuously working to ensure that any instance of discrimination in housing is taken seriously and rectified. If you or someone you know has a fair housing complaint, please give us a call at 630-690-6500.

Job Opportunities 

HOPE Fair Housing Center is currently looking for one 2020-2021 Full Year and one Summer 2020 Americorps VISTA to help us establish a prominent presence of fair housing education, outreach, and services in southern and western Illinois. If you or someone you know is interesting in finding out more, please check out the the listings on the Americorps website linked below!

VISTA Full Year Job Listing

VISTA Summer Job Listing

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