By Alison Ahlgrim
Fair Housing Center of Greater Madison

Housing discrimination is common, yet most people remain unaware of its prevalence. Equal housing opportunity — the idea that all people should have equal access to all the housing they can afford — is still an elusive dream for many Dane County residents.

Fair housing laws make it illegal for housing providers to discriminate based on race, marital status, disability, family status (including presence of children in a household) and other protected characteristics. In this day and age, however, housing discrimination is often subtle and difficult to detect. In many instances, people leave an interaction with a housing provider unaware that they have been treated differently than someone else because of their race, because they have kids or because they have a disability.

If you are concerned about housing discrimination in your neighborhood, please consider becoming involved in the ongoing struggle for equal housing opportunity. The Fair Housing Center of Greater Madison provides educational workshops for civic and social service groups, neighborhood organizations and others interested in learning more about fair housing issues, including residential segregation, the nature of discrimination and how to become a volunteer in a unique part of the fight for social justice in our communities. Call Alison Ahlgrim at 257-0853 for more information or to schedule a presentation for your group.