HUD Launches Anti-Sexual Harassment Campaign for Fair Housing Month

April is Fair Housing Month, and the Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to discriminate in housing transactions based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, or family status. This year, HUD is especially focused on protecting the rights of individuals to feel safe and secure in their homes, free from sexual harassment or unwanted sexual advances.

HUD recently launched a special campaign and training initiative to help protect people from harassment by landlords, property managers, and maintenance workers in HUD-assisted housing. The “Call HUD: Because Sexual Harassment in Housing is Illegal” campaign will increase HUD’s efforts to educate the public about what behaviors constitute sexual harassment and what to do and whom to contact if they experience it where they live. Additionally, the initiative will offer sexual harassment training to employees of public housing authorities and other housing providers.

In April 2018, HUD and the Department of Justice launched a nationwide joint initiative that combats sexual harassment in housing by increasing the public’s awareness of the issue and encouraging the reporting of harassment. This year, throughout the month of April, the “Humans of HUD” photoblog will feature victims of sexual harassment in housing, highlighting the personal testimonies of survivors and those who helped them.

HUD will end the month with a closing ceremony on April 29 that will include a Fireside Chat between HUD and DOJ representatives involved with the initiative. The event will also include the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, which establishes, among other things, sexual harassment training sessions for housing providers.