Michelle Rydz, Grand Forks

Every year in April, the nation celebrates the passage of the federal Fair Housing Act. The law was enacted only seven days after Martin Luther King was assassinated, and it remains one of his most important legacies. For 53 years, the nation has worked to reverse the harmful effects of purposeful segregation in our neighborhoods and strengthen our communities so all Americans can live free from illegal housing discrimination. That work continues in North Dakota today.

Last year, when Fair Housing Month began we had just entered a worldwide pandemic, and almost instantly we were required to work, attend school, worship, shop and connect to the outside world within the confines of our homes. Over the past year, the idea of our homes being a place of safety and refuge has taken on a new meaning. Now, with North Dakota leading in vaccination distribution, we are reaching the other side of the pandemic and we are more aware than ever of the importance of safe, stable housing free from discrimination.

Fair housing is a right protected by federal and state laws. Fair housing means you may freely choose a place to live without regard to your race, color, religion, sex, national origin, because you have a disability, have children in your family, or because you are on public assistance, over 40 or based on your marital status.

High Plains Fair Housing Center is the only organization in the state of North Dakota with the mission to strengthen communities and to ensure equal access to fair housing through training, education, enforcement and advocacy. In the past year, calls to our intake line increased by over 55%. We saw more cases of familial status discrimination as children were at home for longer periods. We also saw an increase in requests for reasonable accommodations, including people with underlying health conditions asking to delay maintenance, requesting no entrance in their units and exiting their lease early. In many cases, landlords and tenants worked together to keep renters and property management safe and housed during the pandemic.

As we emerge from the pandemic, High Plains will be attentive to housing trends to ensure that the social upheaval from the pandemic does not disadvantage persons of color, families with children, persons with disabilities or other members of the protected classes. It has been an amazing year in the fight for fair housing rights in North Dakota. We appreciate all of our community partners that have helped support fair housing in North Dakota and we applaud the individuals who exercised their fair housing rights, making access to housing in North Dakota better for future housing consumers. For information about Fair Housing Month activities please contact us at

info@highplainsfhc.org

www.highplainsfhc.org

or 701-203-1077.

Rydz is executive director of High Plains Fair Housing.