FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2015
Family Equality Council praises the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision today in Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. The Inclusive Communities Project, preserving the ability to bring discrimination claims based on “disparate impact.” The disparate impact provision is a critical tool of the Act permitting individuals to file suit when housing practices that appear neutral on their face have a discriminatory effect on a particular class of people.
Statement from Gabriel Blau, Executive Director of Family Equality Council:
“Having safe, stable and affordable places to live in communities of our choice is fundamental to the security and well-being of all of America’s families. For decades, the Fair Housing Act (FHA) has been the primary tool used to address systemic housing discrimination in this country. A full and effective FHA both prevents discrimination and expands the opportunity to everyone in the United States. The color of your skin, your religion, your family status, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity should never determine where you can or cannot live. Today we are comforted that the Act remains intact and we pledge to work with our partners in the fair housing community to strengthen housing protections. Our goal remains lived and legal equality for everyone in the country.”
Family Equality Council, along with our partners at other civil rights advocacy organizations, joined the AARP’s amicus brief filed in Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. The Inclusive Communities Project, which can be found in the above link.
For TV, newspaper and web interviews with Gabriel Blau, contact Bradley Jacobs at (917) 324-8771 or via bjacobs@familyequality.org.
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About Family Equality Council®: Family Equality Council® connects, supports, and represents the three million parents who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer in this country today and their six million children of all ages. We are changing attitudes and policies to ensure that all families are respected, loved, and celebrated—including families with parents who are LGBTQ. We are a community of parents, children, grandparents, and grandchildren that reaches across this country. For over 30 years we have raised our children and raised our voices toward fairness for all families.
Contact: Bradley Jacobs
Media Manager
Family Equality Council
917-324-8771
bjacobs@familyequality.org