Erie County Fair Housing Partnership


Who We Are
Welcome! The Erie County Fair Housing Partnership was created in 1997 as a not-for-profit organization committed to promoting equal opportunity in housing for all residents of Western New York. The Partnership has a diverse representation from various segments of the community including government, banking, real estate, legal services, advocacy groups and community organizations (see list of current members).

Why Fair Housing is Important
Housing plays a large role in defining a person's quality of life. Where you live affects your access to social, cultural, educational and many other community amenities such as schools, transportation, employment, medical services, retail and professional services, recreational and entertainment opportunities and much more. Housing discrimination is an illegal obstacle to housing choice and denies people the opportunity to fully experience and enjoy the “American Dream” of choosing, owning and being responsible for their own house and home.

Upcoming Events:
The Erie County Fair Housing Partnership, Inc. encourages residents to participate in the recognition of National Fair Housing Month this April. According to Bonny Evert, Chair of the Fair Housing Partnership, “The celebration of Fair Housing Month is an acknowledgment of the efforts and victories of all who have worked towards guaranteeing equal access to housing for all.”

Under Federal and State law, it is illegal to discriminate in the sale, rental and advertising of housing based upon race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, disability, marital status, familial status, military status or sexual orientation. Within the City of Buffalo discrimination based upon lawful source of income, and gender identity and expression is also prohibited. The recognition of Fair Housing Month reinforces an awareness of the barriers that inhibit the ability of entire segments of our population to freely access the housing of their choice.

To raise public awareness of the persistence and prevalence of housing discrimination, and to inform people of their rights under fair housing law, the Erie County Fair Housing Partnership and its membership promoted a series of activities which included:

Fair Housing Proclamation Ceremony took place in the lobby of the Buffalo HUD office at the Lafayette Court Building, 465 Main St. 

Landlord/Tenant Training sponsored by the City of Buffalo. Advanced registration required. To register or for more information, contact Nicole Drye at ndrye@city-buffalo.com.

The National Fair Housing Patchwork Quilt including fair housing images from across the nation will be on display in the lobby of the Buffalo HUD office at the Lafayette Court Building, 465 Main St. 

The Western New York Coalition for the Homeless Housing Workshop at the Msgr. Adamski Social Center, 389 Peckham, Buffalo (across from St. Stanislaus Church). To register and for additional information contact Connie Mosher at conniesrudd@yahoo.com or call 812-8310.

The 2nd Annual North American Conference on Housing and Special Needs Populations at the Conference Center Niagara, Niagara Falls, New York. Advanced registration required before April 10th. To register and for more information, contact Sara Taylor at 585-654-9083.

A Fair Housing Fair sponsored by West Side Neighborhood Housing Services. For more infomration contact Laura Sweat at 877-3910.

We Shall Not Be Moved a slide show, historical presentation and poetry reading on the history of segregation and reform at the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority co-sponsored by the Erie County Fair Housing Partnership and the University at Buffalo History Department at the Frank E. Merriweather Library, 1324 Jefferson Ave., Buffalo.

The annual Housing Opportunities Made Equal dinner.  

A Fair Housing Fair sponsored by West Side Housing Partnership at the Father Belle Center, 104 Maryland Avenue.