ARIZONA FAIR HOUSING PARTNERSHIP

The Arizona Fair Housing Partnership which is a statewide coalition of government agencies, housing industry representatives, non-profit organizations, social service agencies, and housing advocates, held its 18th Annual Symposium at Ability 360 in Phoenix on April 7. This year’s event focused on HUD’s “Equal Access in Accordance with an Individual’s Gender Identity in Community Planning and Development Programs” final rule. The program consisted of three panels: housing for people with criminal records; fair housing for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors; and fair housing issues affecting the LGBTQ community. There were expert speakers such as Ellen Sue Katz, Director of the William E. Morris Institute for Justice, Steve Kilar, Communications Director, ACLU of Arizona, Brad Speck, Realtor, National Association of Gay & Lesbian Real Estate Professionals, Steve Stahl, Chief of Police, City of Maricopa Police Department, Sharon Shore, Chief Programs Officer, HOM, Inc., and Erin Russ, Director of Programs, Southern Arizona Gender Alliance, just to name a few. The event was very well attended; registration had to be closed. This year there was a networking /resource fair next door to the venue at the Stockyard Restaurant that followed the program. Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of the signing of the 1968 Fair Housing Act. Mark your calendars for the Partnership’s April celebration of this historic event.