Fair Housing Council of the San Fernando Valley

WHO WE ARE

The Fair Housing Council of the San Fernando Valley (FHC/SFV) is a private, non-profit, civil rights advocacy organization founded in 1958, whose mission is to eliminate housing discrimination. The FHC/SFV is designated by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c) (3) tax-exempt organization and is governed by a volunteer board of directors. The FHC/SFV is supported by donations from its members and others and also receives financial support from The City of Burbank, The City and County of Los Angeles, The City of Santa Clarita, The City of San Fernando and The City of Simi Valley, through their Community Development Block Grant funds.

WHAT WE DO

The Council carries out its mission and purpose of supporting and promoting the idea of equal opportunity and freedom of residence through education and enforcement of state and federal fair housing laws. Our primary goal of educating owners, landlords, tenants, managers, other housing industry professionals and government officials about rights, responsibilities and obligations under state and federal fair housing laws is to promote understanding and voluntary compliance.  Education and enforcement of the law is accomplished in several ways:

• by providing technical assistance and professional support to government agencies, civil rights organizations, housing providers social service agencies and other housing industry professionals
• effective and efficient investigation of complaints
• resolving complaints through conciliation that provides equitable solutions for all parties and promotes Fair Housing
• by providing training, conducting testing, and participating in media and outreach events
• by partnering with other public and private agencies and associations to promote Fair Housing
• by partnering with cities and towns to affirmatively promote and further Fair Housing and by filing complaints against any and all non-complying persons and entities

MISSION STATEMENT

The Fair Housing Council of the San Fernando Valley seeks to eradicate housing discrimination against all persons because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, disability, marital status, age, ancestry, sexual orientation, source of income, and arbitrary discrimination, and to take all appropriate actions in furtherance of ensuring equal housing opportunities for all. In reaching this goal, the Fair Housing Council of the San Fernando Valley engages in activities designed to encourage fair housing practices through educational efforts in the community, assists persons who believe they have been discriminated against and to counteract and eliminate any discriminatory housing practices. FHC/SFV believes the most effective and efficient way to combat discrimination is through education.