FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 16, 2012

MEDIA CONTACTS
Linda Villegas Bremer, Human Rights and Human Services, lbremer@cityoftacoma.org, 591-5151
Karrie Spitzer, Community Relations, karrie.spitzer@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-5790
 
City of Tacoma sponsors 26th annual Fair Housing Conference
It has been 44 years since the passage of the federal Fair Housing Act, yet discrimination and unequal access to housing opportunities continue to affect our communities. In the ongoing effort to remedy this situation, this year’s 26th annual Fair Housing Conference scheduled for Thursday, April 19, 2012, at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center will focus on the unintended consequences of our policies and our actions, and tools needed to ensure equal access to housing opportunities. The title for the conference is “Unintended Consequences: Our Roles and Responsibilities for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.”

Organized by the City of Tacoma in partnership with the Fair Housing Partners of Washington, the conference draws housing industry personnel from maintenance staff to real estate brokers, attorneys, government officials and community based social service agencies from throughout Western Washington.

The conference will provide interactive learning opportunities. Topics will include: exploring how institutions and policies advantage some groups at the expense of others, basics of fair housing law, policy and law updates, disability issues, exploring fair housing issues in non-traditional housing situations, lessons of fair housing testing, harassment in employment and housing and more.

The conference presenters will include the Fair Housing Partners of Washington: Tacoma Human Rights and Human Services Department, Seattle Office for Civil Rights, King County Office of Civil Rights, Washington State Human Rights Commission, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Housing Center of Washington, and Northwest Fair Housing Alliance, as well as regional attorneys and housing providers.

Visit www.cityoftacoma.org/hrhs for conference registration and program details.  For more information call (253) 591-5151 or email hrhs@cityoftacoma.org.

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