Fair Housing / Housing Manager & Advocate
Spring Housing Event - May 18, 2013
The Fair Housing Act
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, lease, or rental of housing and any aspect of credit application and in zoning matters because of:
- Race or color
- National origin
- Religion
- Sex
- Familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians; pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18)
- Handicap (Disability)
The Housing Manager & Advocate
The Housing Manager and Advocate with the Department of Community Development receives and investigates fair housing issues and complaints and performs work associated with planning, managing, coordinating, and supervising housing and housing advocacy programs. Specifically, the Housing Manager and Advocate:
- Manages and supervises the city's housing and housing advocacy programs including federal and state programs
- Receives, reviews, and analyzes housing complaints, including fair housing complaints relating to city programs and enforcement, provides housing counseling, and negotiates resolution of complaints or refers complaints to the appropriate agency
- Maintains publicly available copies of Virginia and HUD fair housing materials
- Serves as staff support / liaison to the Manassas Housing Advisory Committee and the Manassas Housing Trust Fund
- Designs and participates in community housing outreach and education programs
- Develops, conducts and supervises fair housing training to ensure compliance with federal, state and local laws
- Represents the city at public / community events to provide information about the Housing Code
- Develops relationships with other community-based agencies to improve awareness
Get Help
If you feel that you have been a victim of discrimination related to housing based on one or more of the factors listed above, or if you have general questions regarding Fair Housing or the City's housing or housing advocacy programs, you should contact the Housing Manager and Advocate at 703-257-8297. Inquiries and concerns can also be submitted by
email. The Housing Manager and Advocate is also available at the city's quarterly neighborhood town hall meetings to provide Fair Housing information and answer questions regarding Fair Housing.
Other Fair Housing Agencies
You may also contact the Virginia Fair Housing Office at 804-367-8530 or 888-551-3247 or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at 800-669-9777.
Questions
Questions about Fair Housing? Please check out these flyers for more information.