I wish every Monday morning would start like today!  This morning several members of the MomsRising team, including our VP Mary Olivella and I went to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to present John Trasviña, Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and his team of investigators with a super hero award for HUD’s super-heroic efforts to fight discrimination against mothers in lending and housing.

Along with the award, we also presented the good folks at HUD a book that includes the names of fourteen thousand MomsRising members who signed on to thank HUD for continuing to work vigorously to ensure that mothers have fair access to housing.

Last July the New York Times ran a story about Elizabeth Budde, a Washington state doctor who had been approved for a home loan but then had her loan revoked after a loan officer learned she was on maternity leave with her newborn baby. MomsRising members were outraged. Over ten thousand MomsRising members took action to urge HUD to act quickly to investigate this unfair – and illegal – discriminatory practice. And over 200 more took the time to share with us their personal stories of facing housing discrimination due to being women and mothers.

HUD sprang to action too.  On the same day the article was published, HUD issued a press release stating the agency would investigate the lending practices of certain mortgage lenders to determine if they were following the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, familial status or disability.

HUD vowed to take this issue seriously and they did – in June they announced a settlement agreement with a mortgage company that discriminated in home loans against new and expecting mothers.  TODAY HUD announced charges against “the owner and manager of Breckenridge Plaza Apartments in Phoenixville, PA, with violating the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against families with children. Breckenridge Plaza, Inc., and Morris Zelikovsky were charged with making discriminatory statements, including in advertisements on craigslist.org, indicating a preference against families with children, offering different rental terms and conditions to families with children, and discouraging families with children from applying for housing.”

And they aren’t stopping there. HUD has several ongoing investigations into housing discrimination against women and mothers and has pledged to continue to vigorously enforce fair housing laws and help educate people about their rights when it comes to housing.  In fact, MomsRising and HUD partnered to create a page on our website detailing women and mothers’ housing rights.

I always get a thrill whenever I have an opportunity to bring MomsRising’s members’ voices to policy makers and leaders.  I consider it an honor and a privilege.  Today was no exception but it was made even more poignant when we got to meet several folks at HUD whose job it is to do the investigations into housing discrimination complaints.  They were excited to share that because of MomsRising members calling attention to housing discrimination against women and mothers, the number of cases and open investigations they’ve been able to launch have gone up considerably.

Because MomsRising members are helping to spread the word and shine a light on banks, mortgage companies, landlords and property managers who are denying credit worthy mothers home loans or rentals solely because they are on maternity leave or have children, HUD is able to actively pursue investigations and enforce fair housing laws.

When we help HUD help us we’re all helping mothers and families across the country achieve one of our families’ most basic needs: shelter.

MomsRising and our members applaud HUD’s swift action and continuing commitment to commitment to protecting women and mothers’ rights: HUD’s commitment to enforcing anti-discrimination laws and to investigating housing discrimination gives families hope, not just for justice, but in some cases, to have a permanent roof over their heads.

In addition to thanking HUD, I want to thank you – all of you – who, like us, were outraged that women be denied home loans or housing simply because they are mothers.   Help keep up the good work!  Know your housing rights! And, if you feel you have been discriminated against in anything related to housing, you can contact HUD for assistance: call 800-669-9777 or go to their web site.

Please help spread the word.  We want every mother (and fathers, grandparents and guardians) to know their rights when it comes to finding a home for their families.  Share this information on FB or Twitter, or you can email this web page to your friends.

Thank you, MomsRising members and thank you HUD for making my Monday so wonderful!