Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity John Trasviña U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 451 7th Street S.W., Washington, DC 20410 Dear Assistant Secretary Trasviña, As you know all too well, there’s hardly a need more basic than shelter for our families. And when trying to rent or buy a home, everyone should get a fair shake. Unfortunately, many women and families in search of a home do not know their rights. And many lenders and landlords who figuratively – or even literally – “hold the keys” to a family’s new home are either ignorant of the laws prohibiting discrimination against mothers and families or worse, willfully disobeying them. All too often, mothers are discriminated against in our country in terms of hiring and wages, and housing dis- crimination on the basis of familial status are equally illegal and unacceptable. Your commitment to fighting this discrimination is an inspiration and MomsRising and our more than one mil- lion members (including mother, fathers, grandparents and guardians working to achieve economic security for American families) are proud to have partnered with you in that effort. In the last several months, MomsRising has heard from many credit-worthy pregnant women and mothers across the country who are being denied home loans or rentals apartments solely because they are on maternity leave or have children. You will find a selection of these heartbreaking and infuriating stories in this booklet. The members of MomsRising applaud HUD for your groundbreaking work to end housing discrimination against pregnant women and mothers. This booklet contains the names of over 14,000 mothers and their allies who have signed on to thank HUD and to urge the agency to continue to vigorously enforce fair housing laws as relates to mothers who seek to rent or buy a home. Families need homes. It’s that simple. We cannot, as a society, allow discrimination against the mothers (and the fathers and guardians) who seek to shelter them. Thank you for your work on behalf of women and families across the country. Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner Mary Olivella Executive Director and Co-Founder, MomsRising.org Vice President, MomsRising.org MomsRising.org is a multicultural online and on-the-ground grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to achieve economic security for all families in the United States. Mom- sRising is working for paid family leave, flexible work options, affordable child care, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes so many mothers. MomsRising also advocates for healthcare for all, toxic-free environments, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families. In 2010, Forbes.com named MomsRising’s web site as one of the “Top 100 Websites For Women” MomsRising.org 1 TEN THAT TELL THE STORY: Highlights from Mothers Sharing their Experiences with Housing Discrimination MomsRising is a million member grassroots organization working to achieve family economic security, to help all children have a healthy start in life, and to end discrimination against mothers. Mothers in Ameri- can continue to be discriminated against in hiring, wages and housing. In response to recent press coverage on housing discrimination and investigations being launched by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, MomsRising put out an invitation for mothers who feel that they had been discriminated against in housing matters to write us with their stories. In just two weeks, MomsRising received over 200 submissions. The following are ten selected stories that highlight the range of housing discrimination mothers and families experience in our country. Olivia, California supposed to de-lead the house for was 4 and my daughter who was My husband and I were denied the family. In reality, they simply 3. a home loan last year due to my refuse to rent to young families. They were so excited to see being on maternity leave. It was a their new soon to be home and tremendously frustrating experi- Salena, Wisconsin we were excited to show them! ence, as I was employed and on a Well, the tour of the house went My ex-husband and I were federally protected leave; though well, so I thought. My sister loved looking to rent a house in Ash- was told that in the eyes of the it and so did the kids. lender, I was unemployed. land, WI. At the time I had two children. The house was beautiful We got home that evening and and we told the owners that we received a phone call from our Crystal, Massachusetts would like to rent the three bed- soon to be new landlords telling When I called a real estate room home from them. us that they no longer wanted us to rent their home because they agent in Cambridge and men- They took our rental applica- felt that our children were “un- tioned that I had a one-year-old, tion and called us back that same ruly.” they hung up on me. evening and said that they would The rental market in the Bos- love us to rent from them. We I was so MAD, HURT, DISGUST- ton area is especially difficult for were sooo excited! ED, INSULTED and every other word that relates to them judg- parents of young children be- I wanted to show off our new cause most of the housing stock place to my sister and my chil- ing my precious children the way has not been de-leaded, and fam- dren, so we set up a time to meet they did. ilies with children under five can the owners the next day. My sis- All they were doing was being only live in certified de-leaded ter brought her son with and I children that were curious and housing. Technically, an owner is brought my son who at the time exploring the new place that we 2 MomsRising.org THOUGHT would be home. ran my credit and were “amazed” children with disabilities. Needless to say, we had al- at my great credit. At, one point a VA represen- ready called the people that we I was then told, “Since you tative told me that no matter were renting from and told them are a single mother, we don’t what she would not give me the that we would be moving. think you can afford this house. loan because my children were Thank god that they under- Maybe you should look at some- disabled. I eventually got the stood when we called them back thing smaller.” I asked for my loan because I had a lawyer from the next day and told them that check back and I will never apply Judge Advocate General’s office we still needed to rent the house. for a rental through these people (military lawyers) let them know Who wants landlords like that again. I ended up renting a place he would report them to Con- anyway... maybe that happened for a little more money that I am gress. for a reason. Who knows. But, in today. Discrimination! It took us seven months to fi- what they did to us was WRONG! nally get the loan. Every single stumbling block you can imagine was thrown our way, to include a Christina, New York brand new home failing inspec- My husband, son and I moved tion, lost paperwork, needing back to NY in May of this year “Not only did I extra notarized copies of docu- (2010). It took us until mid-July to ments. find an apartment due to the ex- have a great job, treme amount of discrimination but I also receive we faced in attempting to find an child support... Felicia, Kansas apartment with a toddler in tow. I was pre-approved for a loan I can’t even count the number I was told, ‘Since prior to house hunting. The night of times I was hung up on as soon you are a single before I closed on my home the as I mentioned we had a toddler, underwriter determined that I and we saw multiple apartments mother, we don’t was a risk because I was a single where we showed interest, only think you can mother with two children and to be informed that the landlord two jobs. I have worked two jobs did not want to rent to a family afford this house.’” my entire adult life. The bank had with children. documentation supporting a his- Dana, Oregon tory of two jobs. Every home pur- It’s hard enough being a work- chase is a domino effect. ing class, native New Yorker in a city where landlords only want to There was an attorney in- rent to “professionals,” but then volved in one of the homes up to also be discriminated against Mary, Ohio the chain and he contacted the based on our familial status was When I was looking for my underwriter to inform her that disgusting. first apartment after my divorce, he would take my discrimination I had a one-year-old son along case pro-bono and she backed with me and I had two people tell down. I got my home, it just took Dana, Oregon me that they wouldn’t rent to me a few extra days. I am a professional and I have because I had a child of that age.