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City to host fair housing Q&A with Austin Tenants Council

Wednesday, April 20, 2022

The City of San Marcos will host a Fair Housing Q&A in collaboration with the Austin Tenants Council on Thursday from 7-8 p.m. either in person at City Hall or online via Zoom. 

As the month of April is recognized as National Fair Housing Month, the event flyer mentions that “Topics of discussion include housing discrimination and the services and protections that are available to help tenants enforce their right to equal access to fair, decent, and safe housing.” 

The right to fair housing for Americans is protected by the Fair Housing Act, which was first enacted in 1968. The Fair Housing Act is overseen by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

According to the Texas Workforce Commission website, “Everyone who lives in the United States is protected from discrimination in housing; sale, rental, and financing of dwellings; lending; home appraisal; insurance and accessibility. Fair housing means you may freely choose a place to live without regard to your race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability or familial status.”

The Austin Tenants Council was first established in 1973 to assist tenants in the East Austin area. Over time, as the city expanded, so did the council and the number of those in need of assistance. 

The housing advocacy program’s mission as mentioned on their website “ensures housing stability by rectifying Fair Housing Act violations and empowering tenants to exercise their rights through mediation, advocacy, and education.”

For more information on the Austin Tenants Council, visit https://www.housing-rights.org/. 

The Austin Tenants Council doesn’t give legal advice, guidance is given for educational purposes and should not be considered conclusive or substituted for any legal advice. 

Those interested can attend the event virtually can register by visiting the Zoom link, https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Hj6nPNlkSKy6YC8QFvgSDg. For those looking to attend in person, San Marcos City Hall is located at 630 E. Hopkins St. 

Following registration, participants  will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Additional information regarding the event and fair housing can be found at http://sanmarcostx.gov/618/Fair-Housing. 

San Marcos Record

(512) 392-2458
P.O. Box 1109, San Marcos, TX 78666