SERVICES
HOME offers a variety of services to help eliminate illegal housing discrimination, prevent homelessness, and educate tenants and landlords about their fair housing rights and responsibilities. HOME’s services are free of charge. Learn more about our enforcement team, tenant advocates, education and outreach courses, and servicios en Español.
Our knowledgeable staff will listen to your situation and provide information and objective advice. Call us at 513-721-4663 to discuss your situation.
**HOME does not employ lawyers, so if you have been served with a legal notice, are considering legal action, or otherwise need legal advice, we strongly advise you to contact an attorney immediately.**
Tenant Advocacy
HOME works with those who are experiencing difficulty maintaining their rental housing for reasons ranging from tenant/landlord issues to lack of resources. The Tenant Advocacy Program works to stabilize families in their homes and prevent a loss of housing. Our Tenant Advocacy staff work with individuals in danger of losing housing, provide information on housing rights and Ohio tenant-landlord law, give objective advice, and advocate on our clients’ behalves with their landlord.
HOME’s Tenant Advocacy Program is made possible by funding from United Way of Greater Cincinnati.
Mediation Services
HOME co-sponsors Housing Mediation Services, a source of free, professional mediation in the Greater Cincinnati area for landlords, tenants, or neighbors. To request such mediation, call 513-751-2567 or visit www.housingmediation.org. Co-sponsors for Housing Mediation Services are HOME, the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Apartment Association, and the Real Estate Investors Association of Greater Cincinnati.
Enforcement
Members of our Client Services staff assist people who believe they may be victims of illegal housing discrimination. HOME helps our clients gather evidence to support a claim of illegal discrimination and discuss enforcement options. These options could include problem-solving or mediation with HOME personnel, filing of an administrative complaint with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, or legal action through a referral to a cooperating attorney.
Housing discrimination can occur in any transaction whether renting or buying a home, negotiating with a lender, or shopping for insurance. Discrimination is not just about race or color. It also is illegal to discriminate in housing based on religion, national origin, gender, disability, or because children are members of the household. Learn more about protected classes under the Fair Housing Act here.
Education & Outreach
HOME offers a wide variety of courses for both housing providers and consumers. Our staff will customize a class based on your clients’ or staffs’ needs and interests. Trainings are available to consumers or agencies at no cost. Trainings for housing providers are offered at a low cost and can qualify for Continuing Education Unit credits. Our courses cover topics including fair housing rights, landlord-tenant law, illegal steering, Section 8 landlords, implicit bias, and more.
Submit the request form on our contact page if you would like to schedule a speaker for your staff meeting, workshop, program, or event. Please include any topics or requirements necessary in your request. You will receive an email or a phone call to finalize the scheduling of the presentation.
Policy & Research
HOME has a robust Policy & Research program that serves as the foundation for the organization's local, state, and national advocacy. HOME works to educate both voters and elected officials on issues relating to Fair Housing, homeownership, Fair Lending, tenant rights, and other housing related topics.
HOME also publishes detailed reports on a variety of topics. These reports include: annual updates to the Roadmap to Increasing Black Home Ownership, Levied: Reports on Property Tax Inequities, and a forthcoming report analyzing regional mortgage lending trends.