Equity Program

Equity in Housing

Everyone deserves a safe and stable place to live. Families especially, benefit from stable, affordable housing. Research shows that when families don’t have access to affordable housing pay a high cost, not just in the portion of income required for housing (often well over the 30% guideline). Long term impact includes:
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• Disruption in routines and lack of continuity in support systems as families may move frequently
• Missed educational opportunities as children miss school, change schools frequently, or have limited access to high-quality schools.
• Exposure to crime and lack of access to positive role models and relationships
• Chronic stress and poverty due to lack of financial resources for other basic needs, such as food and health care
• A cycle of intergenerational poverty

One program focused on keeping families together in affordable house is the Family Unification Program (FUP). If you’re in danger of you child(ren) being placed in out-of-care or not being release from out-of-home care because of lack of adequate housing, you may quality for the FUP Housing Choice Voucher (HCV).

Lack of adequate housing is defined as:
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• Homeless
• Displaced by domestic violence
• In imminent danger of losing your home
• Living in substandard or dilapidated housing
• Living in an overcrowded unit
• Living in inaccessible housing

To find out if you quality and how to apply, contact your local public housing authority (PHA).

* *Not all PHA administer FUP. If the Housing Authority in your area does not, they can help you identify a program for which you are eligible.
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Limitations of the Family Medical Leave Act

Equity means addressing the factors like racism, poverty, and discrimination that can create disparities in the distribution and access to resources for better outcomes. Examining important policies, like the federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), legislation which guarantees job-protection and unpaid leave to certain eligible workers to care for themselves or immediate family members, reveals how well-meaning policies for families are severely limited in their ability to provide benefits. For example:
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• More than half of working adults and parents are not eligible by the current guidelines. These requirements disproportionally affect the eligibility of certain racial and ethnic groups.
• Economic realities of unpaid leave mean that even eligible adults cannot afford to take the time off. Like eligibility, affordability disproportionately affects certain racial and ethnic groups.

Policies require ongoing assessment of outcomes and adjustment of goals and capacity to meet the needs of families. Identifying short-comings in policy structure and implementation is a first step in taking action to improve equity in creation and implementation of change. Policy researchers can provide data that policy makers can use to propose change at the federal level. At the same time, legislators, community leaders, and employers can help at the local level. Here’s how:
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• Advocate. While some states have created paid family leave programs to bridge the gap in the federal FMLA eligibility and affordability, many states have not. If your state has not, contact your state representatives and advocate for change for families and workers.
• Educate. Lack of knowledge and a cumbersome application process create a barrier to FMLA use for some. Community leaders and organizations can help with FMLA implementation by providing employees with knowledge and help with the process of applying.
• Facilitate. If you employ workers eligible for FMLA, do the right thing for your workers, provide information and support their right to access. When you don’t, families in your community suffer. Failure to facilitate and implement FMLA when appropriate also opens you to federal investigation. Strong families build strong communities and sustain strong businesses.