August 2025 - Back To School
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Welcome Note
As the new school year begins, it's critical to understand how Fair Housing protections and Landlord/Tenant laws affect families with school-aged children. This month, we’re focusing on how these laws can help prevent homelessness and protect against discrimination—ensuring that every child has the stable home environment they need to succeed in school. Join us in raising awareness and advocating for equitable housing opportunities for all families.
Back To School
Did You Know…
Denying housing to a family because they have children is a violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA), this can include cases of attempting to segregate where families with children are able to live in an apartment or housing complex.
In Orange County, more than 8,800 students are without a permanent home, which is a 50% increase since 2019, according to records from the district. Additionally, if we look at Hillsborough County Public Schools they report 1.2% of its students are currently experiencing homelessness which impacts their performance in school.
Overly restrictive occupancy policies are yet another way in which families with children may be discriminated against and prevented from accessing affordable housing. An example of this could be setting a maximum of 2 people in a 4 bedroom home. Such restrictions disproportionately affect families with children by making otherwise suitable and affordable housing unavailable to them. This type of policy can serve as a barrier to stable housing, contributing to housing insecurity and increasing the risk of homelessness for families with children.
Housing stability is intersectional, and can impact our student’s performance in schools. According to the Eviction Lab, during their case study in the Houston school district, students whose parents faced eviction experienced an increase in absences and were more likely than not to switch to schools with less resources. Of the children that switched schools, they were more likely to be suspended.
So What Does It All Mean?
It is illegal to discriminate against families with children, and a scenario people might often overlook is being restricted to living in a certain area of the complex, maybe near the park or on a certain floor. If you are looking to rent or buy a home in a complex, you should be able to tour the unit you are most interested in, regardless of whether the housing provider thinks “it is not as suitable for children”.
Evicting a family because a child has joined the family could be considered discriminatory. ‘Families with children’ are considered to be families with biological children, adopted or fostered children, or pregnant persons. If they are treated differently than the rest of their neighbors by a housing provider, or are subject to different rules, this could possibly reveal familial status based discrimination.
To prevent our children from falling behind in school, we need to look at ways in which we can reduce the risk of eviction. Some potential policies can include increasing notice requirements, implementing rent control, and providing free legal counsel to families threatened with eviction. Providing eviction protections for our students can mitigate the consequences of housing instability in schools.
Familial status discrimination can also occur through the unequal treatment of maintenance requests submitted by families with children. One common example is when a landlord delays or outright ignores repair requests—such as for a leaking toilet, mold, or other hazardous conditions—submitted by tenants with children. In some cases, families are blamed for the issue, with landlords suggesting, without evidence, that the children caused the damage. This type of neglect not only violates housing standards but may also constitute discriminatory under the FHA.
What Can We Do?
Knowing your rights is the first step in protecting them. If you’ve been discriminated against, you don’t have to face it alone! If you or someone you know has experienced housing discrimination, our team can assist and, if necessary, file a complaint to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Raising awareness and remaining educated about these topics is important. Our team hosts various ‘Know Your Rights’ presentations throughout the month and we would love to have you present at our next one.
Be aware that if you were served with an eviction notice, you can call our Alachua County Eviction Prevention helpline for FREE legal assistance. Call us today at 888-780-0443!
If you or someone you know has a disability, is facing housing discrimination, or needs legal assistance navigating housing, do not hesitate to give us a call at 407-801-4224 or email us at fairhousing@floridalegal.org
Community Outreach
Upcoming Outreach Events
What We’ve Been Up To
Gainesville Housing Authority (GHA) Housing Providers Briefing
Through our collaboration with GHA, we were able to create a housing provider training day to present on the Fair Housing Act (FHA). The housing providers in attendance have tenants that hold Housing Choice Vouchers, and are now more equipped to manage their properties in accordance with the Fair Housing Act. It was a fantastic way to connect with housing providers and answer any questions they may have regarding the FHA.
St. Francis Vet Care Clinic
During St. Francis Pet Clinic, Florida Legal Services tabled to ensure that those with furry companions are aware of the free legal services available to them. We talked to patrons seeking assistance getting their Emotional Support Animals or Service Animals approved by their housing provider and shared information about reasonable accommodations under the Fair Housing Act. If you have any questions about this process or your rights, feel free to contact us!
National Night Out Vendor Day
Members of our Immigration Court Helpdesk joined the Fair Housing team in attending Vendor Day in Orlando at the Multicultural Center. We are grateful to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for inviting us to partake in such a wonderful night filled with community, generosity, and resources! We can’t wait to see you all again for National Night Out in October!
Dixie County CHIP Meeting
We are grateful to the Florida Department of Health for allowing us to join in on their Community Health Improvement Planning (CHIP) meetings where we are able to discuss different goals for the community, learn about outreach events, and brainstorm ways to engage with the rural communities. We also took the opportunity to drop off some informational brochures to the Dixie County Library and talk to the librarians about our fair housing services.
New Home Buyers Class
Every month we are granted the opportunity to present Fair Housing information to a group of prospective home buyers and this month the audience was especially engaged. We look forward to this event and love being able to answer questions regarding the Fair Housing Act. If you hold a New Homebuyers course, we would love to present for your class!
Gainesville Housing Authority Briefing
Fair Housing presented to new Housing Choice Voucher holders at GHA. We discussed the different protected classes under the Fair Housing Act, and prepared tenants to recognize discrimination when they are looking for new housing. We are thankful for this partnership and for the continued support we receive from the Gainesville Housing Authority!
HIPPY Open House
Both the Fair Housing and Eviction Prevention team joined the HIPPY team in their New Year Orientation this month. It was an online event in which we were able to learn more about HIPPY, an early childhood education program that helps prepare children ages 2-5 years old for school. It was a terrific way to meet families in the community and spread information about FLS and the different services we offer. If you have a team meeting in which you would like us to attend and briefly share some information and resources with you, we would love to hear from you and connect!
SPARC Closing Ceremony
Towards the end of the month, we attended the SPARC closing ceremony. SPARC 352 is an initiative that aims to cultivate the passion for the arts within the community. This summer’s artists were able to showcase their art during this closing ceremony, where we tabled to spread information about the housing justice team and the services we offer. It was an amazing experience and we are fortunate to have witnessed the artwork created by such talented artists.
Eviction Prevention in Alachua County:
Alachua County Eviction Prevention Legal Clinic - If you have a housing or legal question that you would like to consult an attorney about, please join us at the Tower Road Library Branch on September 16th from 12pm-2pm located at 3020 SW 75th St, Gainesville, FL 32608.You can speak to an attorney for FREE, if you have any questions or concerns, stop by!
Know Your Rights Workshops - The Alachua County Eviction Prevention team is hosting FREE monthly legal clinics “Know Your Rights As A Renter” at public locations throughout the county. Join the Eviction Prevention team this month at the Tower Road Library Branch on September 16th from 12pm-2pm located at 3020 SW 75th St, Gainesville, FL 32608. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear advice and ask questions of experienced housing attorneys.
Alachua County Eviction Prevention Helpline - CALL: 888-780-0443
This helpline aimed at serving Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) recipients and other members of the Alachua community is up and running! Helpline operators are accepting phone calls regarding housing, landlord-tenant issues, child support, or any other legal issue faced by low-income Alachua County renters. Callers will be connected with an attorney who can provide legal assistance over the phone and in some cases, direct legal representation. EMAIL TO JOIN MAILING LIST FOR UPCOMING FREE LEGAL CLINIC!
The federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) protects you from discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and familial status. This applies to renting, buying, mortgages, appraisals, insurance, and looking for a place to live.
IF YOU THINK YOU’VE BEEN THE VICTIM OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION, PLEASE CONTACT US AT:
407-801- 4224 (English)
850-680-1729 (Spanish)
fairhousing@floridalegal.org
www.floridalegal.org/fairhousing
IF YOU ARE AN ALACHUA COUNTY RESIDENT FACING BARRIERS TO HOUSING OR AN EVICTION, PLEASE CALL AND FOLLOW THE PROMPTS TO REACH A LIVE ALACHUA COUNTY OPERATOR:
888-780-0443 (English and Spanish)
www.floridalegal.org/evictionprevention
The work that provided the basis for this publication was supported by funding under a grant with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The author and publisher are solely responsible for the accuracy of the statements and interpretations contained in this publication. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Government.