BALTIMORE, MD (Wednesday, March 31, 2021) — Mayor Brandon M. Scott and the Office of Equity & Civil Rights (OECR) are partnering with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA), The Maryland Historical Society (MHS), the Baltimore National Heritage Area (BNHA), and the Parks & People Foundation (PPF) to hold a month-long event in April in celebration of National Fair Housing Month.

“The Fair Housing Act is an important part of our nation’s history and greatly warrants recognition and celebration,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “As the footprints of redlining continue to exist in Baltimore and across the nation, it's crucial that we ensure our fair housing work continues through a lens of equity until the lingering effects of housing discrimination are eliminated entirely.”

The Office of Equity and Civil Rights will hold an arts and literature festival to commemorate the Fair Housing Act, featuring an outdoor gallery exhibit at the Parks and People Foundation (2100 Liberty Heights Avenue), as well as an online virtual gallery which will host performances and readings by authors, poets, and musicians. The theme of this year’s celebration will be “Home is Where the HeART is.”

This is the second installment of OECR’s unique multimedia celebration of National Fair Housing Month. It also marks the second year that Baltimore City received federal grants for housing discrimination prevention and education for Baltimore residents. Funding was made available by HUD’s Fair Housing Initiative Program (FHIP).

“The OECR’s 2021 celebration of the 53rd anniversary of the Fair Housing Act of 1968 will highlight Baltimore’s ongoing efforts to eliminate housing discrimination in our city, by raising the literacy level among all ages about fair housing laws using art, music and media created by youth and adults via a multi-cultural, multi-generational approach,” said Dana Moore, Chief Equity Officer and Director of OECR. “This year’s celebration will be virtual and, the referenced art display will be outdoors and viewable in a masked and socially distanced manner.”

Passed by Congress in 1968, The Fair Housing Act protects people from discrimination based on Race, Color, Sex, Familial Status, Disability, Religion, National Origin when renting or purchasing a home, obtaining a mortgage, seeking housing assistance, or engaging in other real estate related activities. The 2021 National Fair Housing Month celebration in Baltimore, and in other cities around the nation will reflect the renewed commitment to the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

For more information on how you can participate, or how your organization can be a part of the planned Resource Fair, call 410-396-3143 or visit civilrights.baltimorecity.gov, or facebook.com/BmorEquity.