34th Annual Fair Housing Workshop Series: Fair Housing Momentum

The Fair Housing Center of West Michigan (FHCWM), a private, non-profit fair housing organization committed to preventing and eliminating housing discrimination and to ensure equal housing opportunity through education, outreach, research, advocacy and enforcement, is hosting the 34th Annual Fair Housing Workshop Series online on April 28th at 8:30 am - 12:45 pm.

DETAILS: We are very excited to welcome Demetria McCain (Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) and Lisa Rice (President and CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance) to our line up of expert speakers! This year’s Event Program will include the presentation of the 2022 Fair Housing Award and a poetry performance by local artist Foster a.k.a AutoPilot, who is also the Donor Experience Manager and Teaching Artist for The Diatribe.

WORKSHOPS: This year’s conference will also feature TWO workshop sessions; choose 1 of 2 workshops for each session:

• Session A (9:35 to 10:35 am): Gender Equality OR Race, Wealth & Opportunity
  • Gender Equality: Gender discrimination, especially in the form of sexual and other types of harassment, has been on the rise for years and has only been exacerbated by the pandemic.  New clarity on the meaning of gender discrimination regarding sexual orientation and gender identity has also been announced.  This workshop will provide an in-depth look at what types of protections exist across all types of housing, trends and cases, as well as efforts underway to ensure equal treatment and housing opportunity. Featuring R. Tamar Hagler (U.S. Department of Justice) and Sasha Buchert (Lambda Legal).
  • Race, Wealth & Opportunity: Respectively, the average Black and Latino family has just one tenth and one eighth the wealth of the average White family, much of which is related to home equity.  There is also increasing evidence and better understanding of how where one lives directly impacts access to opportunity and key amenities.  This workshop will share current data on the racial gaps in home values, household wealth, and homeownership rates as well as other deficits experienced by communities of color.  It will also share information on efforts to address these gaps, including those underway in Michigan spearheaded by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) to create Michigan's first Statewide Housing Plan.  Featuring Luke Bell (Zillow) and Tiffany King (Michigan State Housing Development Authority). 
• Session B (10:45 – 11:45 am): Discriminatory Appraisals OR Housing for All
  • Discriminatory Appraisals: Disturbing cases of appraisal discrimination have been making recent national headlines in spite of occurring for years.  According to researchers and anecdotal evidence, there are stark differences in how properties owned by people of color are valued compared to those owned by Whites.  This workshop will provide an overview of appraisal discrimination and share information on other factors impacting property valuation, the costs of appraisal bias, recent cases and reports, and the methods and efforts underway to address this problem.  Featuring Gregory D. Squires (George Washington University) and Jillian White (Better.com), a 19-year veteran of the appraisal industry.
  • Housing for All: Many communities across the state are having increasingly urgent conversations about addressing the shortage of available housing of all kinds; this also raises critical questions about the need for thoughtful, inclusive planning for housing that meets the needs of everyone in the community across a diverse and changing spectrum.  Learn how fair housing informs land use, planning and zoning in communities as well as successful efforts and initiatives for creating and sustaining inclusive communities.  This workshop will also provide information and data about local efforts underway to remove barriers and increase housing opportunity.  Featuring Allan Lazo (Fair Housing Council of Oregon) and Ryan Kilpatrick (Housing Next).

Workshop speaker bios can be found here.

*Please note that the workshops and/or speakers may be subject to change.

SCHEDULE:
8:30 am – REMO Platform opens
8:45 am – Check-in & Online Networking
9:00 am – Welcome & Plenary featuring Demetria McCain
9:35 am – Choice of 2 Workshops: Gender Equality OR Race, Wealth & Opportunity
10:45 am – Choice of 2 Workshops: Discriminatory Appraisals OR Housing for All
11:55 am - Event Program & Keynote presentation featuring Lisa Rice
12:45 pm – Conclude 

Please note that the schedule may be subject to change.