| In the year the century
changed, Housing Opportunities Made Equal served more clients than at any
time in its history-providing individual counseling and information to
5,041 persons and reaching another 2,712 through 130 educational
presentations. Close to 20,000 people received a HOME brochure or
newsletter and tens of thousands more Western New Yorkers were exposed to
fair housing messages through nearly 60 media appearances. As impressive
as those numbers are, they do not begin to tell the story of HOME in the
year 2000. The Greater Buffalo
Community Housing Center-birthed the year before amid so much hope and
uncertainty-hit its stride. Under the leadership of Assistant Director
David Wright, by the end of the year the CHC had helped more than 700
low-income African-American and Latino families lease housing. Mobility
counseling raised the proportion of families living in low-poverty census
tracts from 40 to 67 percent, significantly increasing socio-economic
integration. Upwards of 30 of these families choose to move into the
strange new world beyond the city line.
Associate Director Andrea Mujahid-Moore's
fair housing unit served close to 3,500 tenants, landlords and homeseekers.
Attorney Mujahid-Moore filed 23 discrimination complaints as her unit
successfully conciliated an additional 19 cases prior to commencing legal
action. Under the direction of veteran Project Coordinator Bud Drexinger,
HOME's testing program shift ed into high gear with the aid of renewed
financial support from HUD's Fair Housing Initiatives Program.
Compelling stories of the impact of
discrimination on its victims (an increasing proportion of whom are
persons with disabilities) appeared in the pages of a redesigned Insight,
which garnered rave reviews for Editor Anne Huiner. Anne also directed the
inaugural performances of The HOME Players: a troupe of dedicated
volunteers who developed an interactive dramatic performance which plumbs
the dept hs of discrimination against persons with disabilities.
Responding to blatant bias directed
against persons with disabilities, people of color and the poor, HOME
facilitated the formation of the Inclusion Task Force. Co-chaired by
attorneys William Berry and Mimi Wright, the ITF eventually included 27
persons representing 22 different human service and housing agencies.
Following eight months of intense work, changes in government policy
appeared to mitigate a number of critical issues. However ITF members
remain committed to collectively challenging any future acts of
discrimination.
Among too many comings and goings this
past year, we were confronted with the trauma of nearly losing our valued
administrative assistant, Margaret Davis Brown, who has played so
significant a role in HOME's technological growth. Staff and several Board
members came together in extraordinary fashion to temporarily fill
Margaret's shoes during her hospitalization and extended recovery. By
year's end Margaret was back and many would contend-in charge again.
I want to acknowledge the exemplary work
of staff not previously mentioned: Nina Worrell, DeAnna Eason, Lisa Cruz,
Rachel Bedor, Sharon Rafra and Kenneth Gholston. All have made significant
efforts on behalf of our clients and helped make HOME a special place to
work.
Lastly, I want to thank our nearly 500
members who through their financial, moral and political support help us
advance our cause of fair housing. Beyond all the professional expertise
and specialized services this agency provides, we can never lose sight of
the fact that HOME is a civil rights organization-which can never rest
until the dream of equal opportunity is realized. |
