September 2026 - Get Into The Groove
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Welcome Note
You might be thinking what happened to the August edition of the newsletter? Well have no fear your Fair Housing Monthly newsletter is back once more! As the Summer time comes to close and the Fall season creeps in, we know that this season brings change like no other. Whether it is starting a new job, getting used to a new school routine or just learning to take it day-by-day chances are, like us, you’re getting into the groove.
Get Into The Groove
Did You Know…
Peak leasing season (May-August) brings high volume, urgency, and major risks of fair housing violations.
There are over 32,000 total housing discrimination complaints nationwide in recent trend data, with familial status discrimination.
About 17.1% of U.S. children (over 12.1 million kids) experienced some form of housing instability, such as missed rent payments, crowded living conditions, or frequent moves due to eviction.
Roughly 2.9 million children are threatened by eviction filings each year in the U.S., and about 1.5 million children actually experience an eviction annually.
So What Does It All Mean?
Summer months can bring in an influx of violations as many are eager to move before the school year begins.
One of the areas that is protected under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) is Familial Status. Meaning families with children cannot be discriminated against. This includes pregnancies and adoptions too. This also means that families with children cannot be given different terms and conditions in their housing compared to other tenants.,
Leases are contractual agreements. Before signing a lease it is important to review the entirety of it and raise any questions you might have before signing. It is always better to be as informed as possible and not rush into signing.
Children are one of the most vulnerable populations impacted by evictions. Such events can impact other areas of young life like keeping up with school work or socializing with peers.
What Can We Do?
Be the eyes and ears of our community. We’ve all heard the phrase, “See something, say something,” but sometimes it’s a matter of, “Hear something, say something.” As in, if you hear any odd stories, where families are talking about mistreatment, make sure they know to seek assistance about certain protections.
If you or someone you know is experiencing housing discrimination based on familial status know that is a violation of the Fair Housing Act and we can help! Call our Fair Housing line at 407-801- 4224 or 850-680-1729 for assistance in Spanish.
Want to help your community be informed of their rights? We offer FREE educational presentations that can be given at community centers near you! Email: fairhousing@floridalegal.org
Outreach Calendar
Looking for a chance to get information in person? Want to add us to your event. See our monthly outreach for September below!
Please note our offices will be closed on the following dates this month:
Monday September 7th - Labor Day
Friday September 11th - Rosh Hashanah
Monday September 21st - Yom Kippur
Above are outreach events that have been confirmed as of publishing this newsletter but we are always looking for ways to connect with the community and add to our outreach calendar. If you are hosting an event or would like to see us table email us fairhousing@floridalegal.org
Our outreach team has been busy getting into the groove, attending events and meeting community members like YOU!
Information on Wheels
We hit the road in mid August to share information about your rights under the Fair Housing Act and information from Eviction Prevention. You can find our information at the North Branch Seminole Public Library right when you walk in, with Sanford Public Works in their Office of Community Relations and Engagement, and at Rescue Mission Outreach.
Tabling with Community Partners
We could not accomplish what we do without the support of our community partners. We tabled with Hope Helps Inc. to share information on Fair Housing and Eviction Prevention while their food pantry was open. We will be back on Saturday September 5th to table again. We also want to highlight an upcoming collaboration we have with them: Fair Housing 101 hosted on Zoom. (see flyer for more details)
Informing Future Tenants
College age students make up a large population of soon to be tenants. Sharing information about their rights under the Fair Housing Act and what to do if they ever were served with an eviction notice is important knowledge to have. We are grateful for student-led organizations like the Student Government Association of Seminole State College Oviedo Lee Campus for inviting us to their Community Resource Fair.
St. Johns Resource Collective
We were lucky enough to be one of the presenters at the St. Johns County Resource Collective monthly meeting to close out the month of July. Project Manager Joseph Cordova delivered a presentation on Fair Housing to 40+ attendees representing dozens of community organizations and advocate programs.
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 FACING EVICTION CONCERNS PLEASE CONTACT OUR EVICTION PREVENTION TEAM AT:
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.