Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Life

Tag: community

  • How the Fair Housing Act Helps Build Diverse Communities

    Diversity and inclusion are crucial to success at work and in life. Whether you’re ready to buy, sell, or rent a home, the Fair Housing Act prevents discrimination in the housing process. Discover how this critical Act protects classes of people and helps build diverse communities where people enjoy the best quality of life.

    What is the Fair Housing Act?

    The Fair Housing Act of 1968 was a follow-up to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Fair Housing Act expanded on previous acts to prevent discrimination when people are renting, selling, financing, looking for housing assistance, or participating in housing-related activities. Additional protections exist for people applying for federally-assisted housing. 

    The Act defines federally protected classes to ensure inclusivity and diversity. As a result, nobody can be prohibited from seeking and securing housing in their preferred neighborhood. Additionally, financiers cannot deny funding to people to attempt to keep them out of specific housing.

    Who is Protected Under the Fair Housing Act?

    Diversity starts with neighborhoods that understand who is protected under the Fair Housing Act. The seven protected classes include:

    • Color
    • Race
    • National origin
    • Disability, mental and physical, and housing providers must make reasonable accommodations
    • Religious beliefs
    • Sexuality, including sexual orientation and gender identity
    • Familial status

    The Fair Housing Act applies to most housing. However, limited circumstances may exempt certain owner-occupied buildings with four units or less, single-family homes rented or sold by owners without real estate agents, and housing operated by organizations that limit residency to members.

    What is Housing Discrimination?

    First and foremost, it is illegal to discriminate against any protected classes. But what does that mean when you’re looking for housing or selling a home? Housing providers can’t refuse to rent, sell, negotiate, or make housing available because someone is one of the protected classes. Also, they can’t falsely claim housing is unavailable or express limiting preferences, differing terms, or varying fees.

    Additionally, residents can’t be evicted, harassed, discouraged, or limited because of their personal status. Agents and housing providers must never blockbuster candidates trying to persuade them to move into specific neighborhoods. Plus, all housing candidates must have equal access to financing and home insurance at the same terms.

    Why is Diversity Important?

    Diversity refers to different forms of the housing accommodating all types of people. Mixed housing and populations offer the flexibility to respond to the evolving needs of communities. As a result, homes are available to people of all incomes, ages, and backgrounds through economic and social changes. 

    Besides making housing available to everyone, diversity provides resilience. Biodiversity in our natural environment creates habitats for all living species. Likewise, diversity in communities supports a healthy and happy lifestyle for all people, creating enduring neighborhoods that remain resilient through inevitable changes, such as population growth.

    What are the Benefits of Diverse Communities?

    Diverse neighborhoods offer many benefits to residents. Living in a robust community offers resilience during national and global changes. Additionally, diversity and inclusion are crucial in the workplace and life. Interaction between people encourages open-mindedness in all diverse settings.

    Creating an equal environment also helps prevent future discrimination. When people live where they choose, everyone is happier. Also, diverse communities offer many opportunities to learn about other cultures through everything from community events to dining out at local restaurants. 

    What Can I Do If I Face Housing Discrimination?

    If you feel you faced housing discrimination, document and report the happenings. Agencies to contact about discriminatory acts in the housing process include the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA). 

    Never hesitate to contact the authorities to report discrimination. Remember, it is illegal for housing providers to retaliate or threaten anyone for making a complaint per the Fair Housing Act. Plus, every report supports the development of diverse and inclusive communities that best serve the public’s needs.

    If you are ready to buy, sell, or rent in the current housing market, the Fair Housing Act protects you against discriminatory behavior and actions. When you recognize discrimination, you have to power to end it. The result is diverse communities that respond to the constantly changing needs of their residents – making everyone happier and healthier today and in the future.

  • 5 Ways to Get Involved in your Community by Participating and Volunteering

    When you’ve just moved into a new community, getting involved with your neighbors and neighborhood can be a great beginning to a happy life. Our communities can be pillars of support when we need them or friendly faces we’re happy to see each day. Through volunteering, joining clubs and groups, taking part in community sports activities and hosting events, you can bond with those who live around you and create a wonderful home for yourself – and others.

    Here are 5 ways to get more involved in your community:

    1. Join a community garden


      2. Join a community garden in your neighborhood, and if you don’t have one, start one. Growing organic produce on a shared plot is a great way to connect with people near you. It also helps everyone involved develop a deeper understanding of the importance of keeping the air, water and ground clean and safe in a community.

      While you till, water, plant and harvest, try to get to know the members of your community. Tell stories of where you came from and ask others about their backgrounds. If you have kids, get them involved with a beginner’s food scrap garden and encourage neighbors to bring their children participate too.

    2. Start conversations


      3. Learn more about the people who live near you by starting conversations within your community. This is easily done through book clubs or groups that come together to make jewelry, create art, cook and learn new languages. Ask your immediate neighbors if they know about any clubs or meetups you can join. If there aren’t any, start one yourself.

      If you have a community center or other public space available, use it to form friendships while you learn something new. Sometimes taking turns meeting in members’ homes, either weekly or monthly, is a good way to break the ice with small talk or enjoy truly enriching conversation. Think about planning a series of special gatherings or ongoing drop-in events.

    3. Become a community volunteer


      4. Volunteer in a local clinic, hospital, nature center, library or community center. Volunteerism is a superb way to meet people and contribute skills and talents to those who might need them. Not only will you probably experience a sense of accomplishment after sharing the gifts you have to offer, your neighbors will likely notice your contributions and consider you a valuable member of the community.

      How can you help those who share your small part of the world? Perhaps tutoring, offering legal aid, mentoring, teaching a language, organizing a food bank or visiting the elderly in your community resonates with you. Children can often be persuaded to join the community volunteer force by teaching older adults all the ways of the Internet.

    4. Get active in after-school programs


      5. Families can get to know neighbors by becoming active in after-school programs. Even if you don’t have kids, meet new people in your neighborhood by volunteering your time to these activities.

      Children often enjoy becoming members in Girl or Boy Scout-type groups, YMCA memberships, parks and recreation classes or mommy and me groups. Often, parents of kids in these programs go on to become friends for life. If you don’t have little ones, it’s still possible to coach, teach a craft, be a dance instructor and get involved in your community in other ways.

    5. Attend or host charity events


      6. Many big cities and small towns have carnivals, holiday gift boutiques, formal dinners and similar charitable events to bring the community closer together. Attend these events and enjoy being a part of shared experiences. You’ll likely meet people who have many of the same interests as you do, which is a good way to form friendships.

    The good thing about getting involved in your new community is that if there aren’t gardens, clubs, organized activities, volunteer opportunities or other programs in place for you to meet people, you can always be to facilitator of these types of gatherings. Your new neighbors will probably be glad you took the initiative to provide ways to connect.

  • 5 Tips to Find New and Exciting Things to Do in Your Community

    Moving into a community is an adventure. Think of all the neighbors you can add to your social circle and areas to explore just for fun. Execute these simple tips to make friends and be part of the community.

    Join social media groups

    Social media can help you find everything there is to know about your new community. From local events to citywide activities, everything can be found by simply logging into your account. Conduct a search for local social media groups and join. Connect to others within the area while also being informed of the various options of entertainment your community has to offer. RSVP for an event and start connecting to other attendees with similar interests. Local company Facebook pages are a great way to find out what’s going on in the area.

    Read mail flyers

    Some of the best things to do in the community can be found right in your mailbox. Local events still rely on traditional flyers and ads in local newspapers to garner interest. Take a look through your mail as it may be the key to filling your upcoming weekend with fun and excitement.

    Chat with your Neighbors

    Neighbors can be amazing resources for things happening in the community. The longer they’ve lived in the area, the more familiar they will be with annual events within the community and much more. Neighbors may also know of some hidden gems that you may not have ever discovered otherwise. Turn neighborly chats into friendships.

    Frequent Businesses in the Area

    Skip the drive-thru next time you’re ordering something from a local business. Try to go patronize establishments within the area; many have bulletins pinned with various advertisements of local events and activities. This is an excellent way to meet new people within your community. Focus on frequenting these businesses to help you learn about your new community.

     

    New areas can be intimidating. Put these tips into place and by the end of the week, you’ll have plenty of new and exciting things to do on the weekend.

     

     

  • Inexpensive Ways to Give Back to Your Community

    Giving back is an important part of keeping your community running, but sometimes we think we don’t have the resources to participate. The truth is everyone could give back a little more and it doesn’t have to break the bank!

    Below are a few suggestions on how you can start to give back right now.

    Inexpensive Ways to Give Back to Your Community - bhgrelife.com

    Reuse, Reuse, Reuse!

    The saying is true, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and chances are you’ve got a jackpot! For starters, don’t throw out those old newspapers, bring them to a local animal shelter or wildlife rehabilitation center. The newspapers can be used to line spaces and crates, plus they are always in high demand! The animals will have one more need met, and you’ll be able to get rid of some clutter, it’s a win-win. Next, start collecting plastic shopping bags and keeping them handy for any needs around the house, such as protecting edibles, filling in gaps around pipes, and resealing paint cans.