Featuring Keynote Speaker:
John Trasviña
HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing & Equal Opportunity

John Trasviña was nominated by President Obama to be Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity on April 20, 2009, and confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate on May 1, 2009. The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) administers and enforces federal laws and establishes policies that make sure all Americans have equal access to the housing of their choice.

Before joining the Obama Administration, Assistant Secretary Trasviña served as President and General Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF). There he led the "law firm for the Latino community" by advancing litigation and public policy in the areas of civil rights, immigration, education and related issues.Assistant Secretary Trasviña began his career at MALDEF in Washington, DC, as a legislative attorney in 1985. He later worked for U.S. Senator Paul Simon as General Counsel and Staff Director for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution. In 1997, President Clinton appointed Mr. Trasviña as Special Counsel for Immigration Related Unfair Employment Practices. As Special Counsel until 2001, he led the only federal government office devoted solely to immigrant workplace rights and was the highest ranking Latino attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice.

After returning to California, Assistant Secretary Trasviña taught immigration law at Stanford Law School and was Director of the Discrimination Research Center in Berkeley. Previously, he was a member of the San Francisco Elections Commission, president of the Harvard Club of San Francisco, and a board member of the La Raza Lawyers Association, Latino Issues Forum, Campaign for College Opportunity, Lowell High School Alumni Association, and Pacific Coast Immigration Museum.

Assistant Secretary Trasviña, a native of San Francisco, California, is a graduate of Harvard University and Stanford Law School.

**************************************

THE WORKSHOPS: 8:45 – 11:45 a.m.
IMPLEMENTING OUR COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO FORECLOSURE: WHAT CAN I DO?
This workshop will follow up a conversation from last year’s workshop on turning the foreclosure crisis into opportunities within our communities and will feature a recently released community report as well as a vigorous discussion on what roles we can play as individuals to contribute to solving the foreclosure crisis. Deborah Goldberg of the National Fair Housing Alliance will frame the issue from the national perspective. Jeffrey May, of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, will highlight foreclosure rescue scams and what can be done as one of the many related issues that need to be addressed as part of the whole. Gustavo Rotondaro of the Community Research Institute of Grand Valley State University will provide foreclosure-related data at the neighborhood level to highlight the particular challenges facing each community in the Kent County area. Kym Spring, of the local Foreclosure Response, will present the “Comprehensive Response Plan: Addressing the Foreclosure Crisis” with an emphasis on the opportunities available for involvement.

AM I WELCOME TO LIVE HERE? ANALYZING THE IMPACT OF DISCRIMINATORY ADVERTISING
This workshop will focus on the impact of discriminatory advertising on housing choice. The panel will share current trends and cases as well as information from two new reports. Cat Cloud of the National Fair Housing Alliance will discuss their new report, “For Rent: No Kids! How Internet Housing Advertisements Perpetuate Discrimination” and recommendations for action. Mira Tanna of the Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing Opportunity Council will share information from their new report “Selective Marketing: A Report on Senior Housing Providers Compliance with Fair Housing Act Advertisement Requirements.” John Obee of Wood, Kull, Herschfus, Obee & Kull will share information on a landmark advertisement case in southeast Michigan. Elizabeth Vezino, the FHCWM’s Director of Advocacy, will provide information on current cases and trends in west Michigan. This workshop is made possible through the support of the Kent County Senior Millage.

WHY CAN’T I BUY THE HOME I WANT? ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO DEVELOPING FAIR, AFFORDABLE HOUSING
This workshop will cover a range of issues that builders and developers are facing that are resulting in higher costs and fewer affordable homes being developed, thereby creating a disparate impact and decreasing equal housing opportunity. This workshop is being presented in partnership with the Workforce Housing Development Committee of the Home & Building Association of Greater Grand Rapids. The panel includes John Bitely of Sable Developing; Doretha Ardoin of Grand Moves Realty and a representative of the National Fair Housing Alliance.

For more information or to register, call (616) 451-2980.

LUNCHEON KEYNOTE: 11:45 - 1:30 p.m.
Assistant Secretary Trasviña will speak about fair housing in the 21st century, including a policy update from the current administration and current fair housing trends and cases.

Click HERE for Highlights from 2009's Event

Click HERE for Highlights from 2008's Event

Click HERE for Highlights from 2007's Event

Click HERE for Highlights from 2006's Event

Click HERE for Highlights from 2005's Event

PLEASE CHECK BACK
for more information
from Our FHCWM Events Reporter:

COMING SOON!

**************************************

20 Hall Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49507
Tel: (616) 451-2980, Toll Free: 1-866-389-FAIR
Fax: (616) 451-2657 email: contact-us@fhcwm.org