Telling the Whole Fair Housing Story: Using Data to Overcome Obstacles of Opportunities

This conference aims to introduce and explain the fair housing laws under the HUD federal provisions and state proposed measures. Housing policies mandated by HUD funds aim to reduce housing segregation where it exists (e.g. building public housing in places of opportunity). Community participation is an integral part of assessing any fair housing process. The conference will also provide an opportunity to find existing data narratives that support the stories of residents in the community by providing evidence in the form of data. Aside from the local and regional data HUD provides, other data sources (e.g. CalEnviro Screen, Regional Opportunity Index, EnviroAtlas) can be used to show racially and/or ethnically concentrated areas of poverty, disparities in access to opportunities, and the overall outcomes of segregated neighborhoods. These data are described in Appendices A-D. In order to understand the legal requirements of fair housing, the local legal services organization Central California Legal Services, and a researcher roundtable, informed by community narratives, will collectively identify further research needed in the areas of affordable housing, education, active transportation, and economic development. Additionally, the goal is that participants locate themselves within the fair housing conversation and are able to collaborate across sectors to provide a full picture of housing needs, and potential for the rural and urban communities in Fresno County.