April is Fair Housing Month throughout the United States of America.
Did you know the legislation behind these rights has a relatively short history? We do, and it's not something we take lightly.
History
On April 11, 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968 into law. This legislation was passed through Congress in less than one week in the midst of one of, if not the, worst times of social unrest in American history. The catalyst? The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Titles eight and nine of the Civil Rights Act are commonly known as the "Fair Housing Act" and were intended to give the 1964 Civil Rights Act additional teeth.
Mission The primary purpose of the Fair Housing Act is to protect buyers' and renters' right to live anywhere they choose, free from discrimination from landlords, sellers, and realtors.
The Fair Housing Act makes it a federal crime to "by force or threat of force, injure, intimidate, or interfere with anyone… because of their race, color, religion, national origin, handicap, or familial status."
Our Promise
Today, we still face a society where the practice of fair housing is not always respected or followed. While housing is a fundamental human right, the housing equality gap grows larger each year.
Team Cool Murphy believes that safe, healthy, affordable housing is vital to building a healthy community with healthy people.
As real estate agents, part of our job is to help bridge the gap in housing inequality. This means working with clients of every walk of life to help them reach their real estate goals while assuring they feel heard, safe, and supported wherever they choose to live.
If you're looking for a real estate team that advocates for every individual's right to love where they live, we can help.
In the meantime, if anyone has made you feel less than safe, know that this is unacceptable and may be illegal. Please look to the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center, a tremendous established in 1995 to eradicate housing discrimination.
Sara Skjerli is a licensed Realtor in the State of Louisiana and a member of Team Cool Murphy. Voted Neighborhood Favorite by Nextdoor, Team Cool Murphy is a top-producing, licensed real estate team based in New Orleans, brokered by Cool Murphy, LLC.
She is passionate about fair housing. Her specialties include negotiations, conflict resolution, and helping buyers of all walks of life find financing solutions to help them live in a home they love.
Cell: (860) 208-0505
Email: sara@coolmurphy.com
Instagram + Facebook: @neurodivergentagent
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