---

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:  Wanda Seeney (573) 751-3247
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  April 27, 2010

MCHR Commemorates National Fair Housing Month
Missouri Commission on Human Rights Hosts Fair Housing Symposium to Educate Missourians

Jefferson City, Mo - The Missouri Commission on Human Rights (MCHR) will partner with the City of Jefferson Human Rights Commission, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Jefferson City NAACP, and the Human Rights Taskforce of the Missouri Association for Social Welfare to observe Fair Housing Month and to educate Missourians about discrimination in the rental and sale of housing, mortgage lending, real estate transactions, predatory lending, and affordable housing. The Fair Housing Symposium will be held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., on Thursday, April 29, in Jefferson City at City Hall in the City Council Chambers, located at 320 E. McCarty St. There is no cost and the public is invited to attend.

“During these difficult economic times, Missourians need as much information as possible to protect themselves from discriminatory housing practices,” says Dr. Alisa Warren, Executive Director of the MCHR. “Housing choice determines access to quality schools, jobs, healthcare, recreation, and public services. Falling prey to discrimination takes that choice away.”

The Symposium will include speakers from the following agencies:

Nimrod Chapel, Sr., First Vice President, Jefferson City NAACP
Eric Krekel, Director of Investigative Operations, MCHR
Cyrus Dashtaki, Former Assistant Attorney General
Melva Fast, Assistant to the City Administrator, City of Jefferson
Representatives of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Independent Living Resource Center

“Missourians are losing their homes and investments because they were misled about the property they bought, pressured to accept higher-risk loans, charged high-interest rates based on their race rather than their credit, or were deceived about the loan terms at the end of closing,” says Warren. “Enforcement is not enough; consumer education is the key to fighting housing discrimination.”

Here are some helpful protection tips from HUD:

1. Interview several real estate agents and ask for their references before you choose one
2. Check out the prices of other homes in the neighborhood
3. Hire a licensed home inspector to carefully review the home or apartment
4. Shop for a lender and compare costs
5. Do not let anyone persuade you to make false information on a loan application
6. Do not let anyone persuade you to borrow more money than you can afford to repay
7. Never sign a blank document or a document containing blanks
8. Read everything and do not sign anything you do not understand
9. Have your attorney or a HUD-approved housing counseling agency review your contract and loan

For questions regarding the Symposium, contact Wayne Lee at 573-694-5758 or. For more information about housing discrimination in Missouri or to file a complaint, visit the MCHR web site at http://www.labor.mo.gov/mohumanrights/Discrimination/housing.asp or call 573-751-3325.

###