Since 2003, the Idaho Fair Housing Forum has been cooperating and collaborating to provide education and outreach opportunities throughout Idaho. These include statewide initiatives and activities to increase awareness of fair housing law, conferences, and Fair Housing Month events. Our web site serves as a clearinghouse for fair housing and related information of interest to all fair housing stakeholders.
The Fair Housing Forum is neither a formal incorporated entity nor an advocacy organization, but rather a coalition of stakeholders and a place for open and respectful discussion of issues impacting housing consumers, providers and advocates. Our goals are to welcome diverse opinions, explore areas of common interest and overcome real or perceived barriers to ‘affirmatively furthering fair housing’ in Idaho.
We can best achieve this by pooling our collective resources and expertise, treating other members with respect, and adhering to facts. Forum members have included representatives from the following organizations and communities over time:
- Idaho Affordable Housing Management Association (AHMA)
- Agency for New Americans
- Boise City/Ada County Housing Authority
- Caldwell Housing Authority
- City of Boise
- City of Meridian
- City of Nampa
- City of Pocatello
- City of Idaho Falls
- City of Coeur d’Alene
- Greater Idaho Falls Association of REALTORS®
- Idaho Association of REALTORS®
- Idaho Department of Commerce
- Intermountain Fair Housing Council
- Idaho Housing and Finance Association (host)
- Idaho Human Rights Commission
- Idaho Human Rights Education Center
- Idaho Legal Aid Services
- Idaho Office for Refugees
- Idaho Partners for Prosperity
- Idaho Chapter: National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM)
- Northwest Real Estate Capital Corporation
- Thomas Development
- Tomlinson and Associates
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
With few exceptions, Forum members agree that Idaho’s most successful and sustainable strategies involve diverse interest groups working collaboratively to ensure fair and equal access to housing for all Idahoans. Housing industry professionals play a key role in this partnership. Noncompliance is costly and in most cases easily avoidable. Preventing discrimination and injury not only protects tenant rights, it is a practical way to reduce liability and housing costs for everyone involved.
Original web development was sponsored jointly by IHFA and the City of Boise to address needs identified in the 2004 statewide Analysis of Impediments, with ongoing site sponsorship and maintenance provided by IHFA.
This web site and FHF collateral materials have been developed and distributed by IHFA and other Forum partners to affirmatively further fair housing in Idaho. We would like to acknowledge the many housing providers, Dept. of Commerce, and Idaho’s entitlement communities for their ongoing material and in-kind support for these efforts.
Although the local HUD field office has long hosted and facilitated Forum meetings, this site is independent from HUD/FHEO or other units of government, and is operated and maintained by IHFA as a courtesy to stakeholders.
