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Michigan Civil Rights Commission to Hold Virtual Hearing on Housing Discrimination in Michigan

Lansing, MI—The Michigan Civil Rights Commission and the Michigan Department of Civil Rights will hold a virtual public hearing on February 7 from 4 pm to 7 pm to hear directly from Michigan residents about discrimination they have experienced in the effort to buy, sell, rent or finance a home.

The Commission is also interested in hearing from individuals with disabilities who have been denied housing or a reasonable accommodation that would allow them to access and live in a rental property.

The Feb. 7 hearing will be held on ZOOM. In order to participate, you must register in advance here.

“We know that housing impacts every aspect of life, including health, wealth, security and peace of mind,” said MDCR Executive Director John E. Johnson, Jr. “The Commission’s determination to hear directly from people who have suffered due to housing discrimination will provide the framework for policy recommendations designed to eliminate it.”

The Commission’s examination of housing discrimination began with a public hearing in Detroit on Nov. 8, 2023. The Feb. 7 virtual hearing will be followed by in-person hearings in Flint on March 16 and Grand Rapids on April 28. The hearings will culminate in the third annual Civil Rights Summit on June 12, 2024, in Detroit where experts, advocates and policy makers will discuss housing discrimination and develop policy and legislative recommendations to combat it. 

Additional in-person public hearings and the Civil Rights Summit will be held on:

  • March 16, 2024 | Flint Fair Housing Hearing @ Mott Community College Event Center
  • April 28, 2024 | Grand Rapids Fair Housing Hearing @ Center for Community Transformation
  • June 12, 2024 | Civil Rights Summit on Fair Housing @ The Icon in Detroit

The Michigan Civil Rights Commission was created by the Michigan Constitution to safeguard constitutional and legal guarantees against discrimination. The Commission is charged with investigating alleged discrimination against any person because of religion, race, color or national origin, genetic information, sex, age, marital status, height, weight, arrest record, and physical and mental disability. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights serves as the operational arm of the Commission.

The Michigan Department of Civil Rights is charged with investigating and resolving discrimination complaints and works to prevent discrimination through educational programs that promote voluntary compliance with civil rights laws. The Department also provides information and services to businesses on diversity initiatives and equal employment law.  For more information on the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, go to www.michigan.gov/mdcr.

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