Fair housing and housing discrimination: Why every housing leader should care

About this episode

The future of fair housing may be decided by what happens with local community organization funding. In this episode of Ten Minute Talks, Allison LaForgia speaks with National Fair Housing Alliance Executive Vice President Nikitra Bailey about what recent funding changes could mean for community-based fair housing organizations and what they could mean for lenders, real estate professionals, servicers and communities nationwide. 

Bailey explains how local agencies help both educate housing providers and keep them compliant with the Fair Housing Act and why preserving these organizations benefits the entire industry, not just consumers. The conversation explores practical steps housing professionals can take to strengthen fair housing efforts, improve accessibility, and expand access to homeownership. Bailey also provides ways for industry professionals to get involved during Fair Housing Week of Action.

Understanding the history of the Fair Housing Act: 

Fair housing enforcement has long been a bipartisan priority. During President Ronald Reagan’s second administration, a bipartisan Congress established the Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) to support a nationwide network of organizations dedicated to enforcing the act through education, investigation and compliance assistance. Congress made the program permanent in the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 after determining that community-based fair housing organizations are a critical component of the nation’s enforcement system. For decades, FHIP has continued to receive bipartisan congressional support, helping millions of Americans access housing free from discrimination while providing housing providers, lenders and real estate professionals with the education and guidance needed to comply with federal fair housing laws.

Resources: 

• Link to the Fair Housing Week of Action call to action: https://bit.ly/FairHousingAction2026 
• Link to additional info on NFHA’s Fair Housing Week of Action: https://nationalfairhousing.org/fairhousingweekofaction2026/
• Link to the referenced Fair Housing Trends Report: https://nationalfairhousing.org/resource/2025-fair-housing-trends-report/

Featured in this episode:

Allison LaForgia Managing Editor of the Content Studio at HousingWire

Nikitra Bailey Executive Vice President at National Fair Housing Alliance

Ten Minute Talks are hosted by Allison LaForgia and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio and air weekly on Fridays. Subscribe to the YouTube channel to get the new episode each week.