September 2025 - Hispanic Heritage Month
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Welcome Note
September marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to honor the diverse histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities. We also recognize Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, one of the holiest days in the Jewish calendar, along with other important religious observances that take place during this time. This month, our newsletter focuses on a critical topic: national origin and religious discrimination in housing. Everyone has the right to feel safe, respected, and treated fairly where they live. By understanding the protections in place and how to assert them, we can all play a part in fostering fair and equitable housing for everyone.
National Origin and Religion
Did You Know…
In 2022, claims related to religious discrimination made up only 1–2% of all housing discrimination complaints. However, this low percentage does not necessarily reflect the true extent of the problem. Many individuals may not recognize certain treatment as discriminatory, while others may feel intimidated, unsafe, or uncertain about how to report their experience.
Raising awareness and building trust are essential steps in addressing housing discrimination. When individuals and communities can confidently identify and report discriminatory behavior, we are better equipped to prevent it from happening again.
Housing instability continues to disproportionately impact Black and Hispanic households, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Eviction Lab, an average of 7.6 million people were threatened with eviction each year between 2007 and 2016. When the pandemic struck, many Black and Hispanic renters—who were already more likely to have lower incomes and limited savings—faced even greater difficulty keeping up with rent payments.
In 2023, national origin was the fifth most-reported basis for housing discrimination in the United States. This type of discrimination can take many forms. A housing provider may refuse to rent to someone after hearing them speak a language other than English or upon detecting a foreign accent. In some cases, individuals have faced stricter requirements—such as additional documentation or background checks—based solely on their suspected country of origin or ancestry. These practices are not only unfair—they are illegal under the Fair Housing Act.
According to Eviction Lab researchers, many Hispanics, especially those with family members who lack legal status, don't go through formal judicial or legal processes when they get an eviction notice, so they end up being evicted informally without any legal or judicial record.
So What Does It All Mean?
Under the Fair Housing Act, individuals are protected from housing discrimination on the basis of national origin and religion. Unfortunately, violations continue to occur in subtle and overt ways—for example, when housing providers refuse to rent or sell to individuals wearing religious attire such as a hijab or yarmulke, or when they allow Christmas decorations while prohibiting displays for other religious holidays like Hanukkah.
Discrimination based on national origin and religion frequently intersects. Individuals from certain countries are often perceived to belong to specific religious groups, and differential treatment based on these perceptions—regardless of their accuracy—constitutes a violation of the Fair Housing Act.
Importantly, these protections extend to individuals of all faiths, as well as those who choose not to practice any religion. Housing providers may not deny housing or offer unequal terms based on a person’s actual or perceived religious beliefs or national origin.
Research continues to highlight the real-world impacts of these discriminatory practices. Latinx immigrant households, for example, often face housing instability due to language barriers, immigration status, and limited access to government services (Westbrook, 2023). National origin can influence housing access through broader social and economic disparities that affect health and stability.
A poll found that about 31% of Latinos report having experienced discrimination because they are Latino when looking for a house/apartment. Studies show discrimination against Hispanic renters persists in practices like “steering” (directing potential tenants away from certain neighborhoods), showing them fewer homes, or giving them worse terms.
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 share this information with you and your team.
Be aware that if you were served with an eviction notice, you can call our Eviction Prevention helpline for FREE legal assistance. Call us today at 888-780-0443!
We utilize language line services for tenants with diverse linguistic backgrounds.
If you or someone you know is facing religious or national origin-based 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 Community Partners Meeting
We attended Gainesville Housing Authority (GHA’s) community meeting at the beginning of the month. It was a great way to connect with other community partners, learn about upcoming outreach events, and share more information about both our Eviction Prevention and Fair Housing outreach efforts.
Santa Fe Safety Event
We are always grateful to Santa Fe College for inviting us to their events! Earlier this month we spent some time on the Santa Fe campus tabling and sharing information with students during the Santa Fe Safety Event. We had so much fun kicking-off the fall semester!
Eastwood Meadows Community Pop-Up
In a continuation of our wonderful partnership with the Gainesville Housing Authority, we attended one of their community pop-up events. We spoke to tenants and shared important information about their rights as tenants and the Fair Housing Act.
Latino Festival at the HARN Museum
In light of September being Hispanic Heritage Month, the HARN is having a month-long celebration. Lola and Marissa attended one of their events and handed out brochures and flyers containing information on tenant rights and protections under the Fair Housing Act. We loved connecting with the community partners that were also in attendance!
Veterans Resource Fair
Lola attended the Veterans Health Fair, which is an annual event that takes place on September 11th to commemorate veterans and bring together a plethora of important resources. We were among hundreds of organizations that showed up to support our veterans and spread awareness about the Fair Housing Act and the protected classes veterans often fall under.
Health Resource Fair
In an effort to continue connecting with members of the community, we attended a health fair that highlighted the importance of preventative health screenings such as mammograms. This event brought together tons of people from the community and we had many discussions about housing rights and how housing issues often impact a person’s health.
Know Your Rights Presentation at Tower Road
We held a ‘Know Your Rights’ presentation at the Tower Road library and equipped people with knowledge pertaining to the Fair Housing Act and the seven protected classes. It was a wonderful way to meet community members and answer any questions they may have regarding fair housing, discrimination, or the eviction process.
Post-Incarceration Resource Fair
Thank you to the team at ‘Women Working with Women’ for putting together such an amazing event that brought so many resources to people who have been impacted by the justice system. We were granted the opportunity to distribute Housing Rights information, as well as inform the attendees about the different resources available at Florida Legal Services.
Tri-County Baby Shower
This Tri-County baby shower had an amazing turn-out with hundreds of expectant mothers and families joining in on this beautiful community celebration. We were among many organizations to attend and spread knowledge about housing rights. People traveled from Levy, Dixie, and Gilchrist county to join in on this special day and we are grateful to have been a part of it!
Tenant’s Rights Resource Fair
We are so thankful for a new partnership that was made with the Office of Tenant Services in Orange County. We attended the Tenant Resource Fair they held at the Multi-Cultural Center, where tenants stopped by dozens of organizations and collected helpful information about their rights as tenants and services that are offered throughout their county.
Cedar Key Food Pantry Tabling
We are always trying to reach our more rural counties, and this tabling event at the Cedar Key Food Pantry was the perfect opportunity. Lola met some wonderful community leaders and shared information about disability protections under the fair housing act.
Porters Quarters Community Health Fair
Towards the end of the month we attended a resource fair in the Porters Quarters community, where different community focused organizations showed up to spend time engaging with different members of the community. It was a great way to connect with people and other organizations, and we are grateful to have been invited to this event!
Eviction Prevention in Alachua, Brevard, Dixie, Flagler, Gilchrist, Indian River, Lake, Levy, Marion, Orange, Putnam, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, and Volusia County:
Eviction Prevention Helpline - CALL: 888-780-0443
This helpline supports tenants, in the counties above, facing eviction or other housing-related challenges. Our operators are available to take calls about landlord-tenant disputes, housing authority voucher issues, and other housing concerns impacting low-income renters. Callers will be connected with an attorney who can provide legal advice over the phone and, in some cases, direct legal representation. Call us today to get the help you need!
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.