Stories News

Regional Administrator Jose Alvarez, Field Office Director Shea Johnson, and Equal Opportunity Specialist Vanessa Mahan met at the celebration of Fair Housing Month on April 28 to meet the Housing Authority of Columbus, Georgia to take a tour of affordable housing properties in Columbus. The team had an opportunity to tour two affordable housing properties during the tour.

Following the tour, Regional Administrator José Alvarez, Field Office Director Shea Johnson, and Vanessa Mahan participated in a Fair Housing Laws training session conducted by Gail Williams, the Executive Director of Metro Fair Housing Services, Inc. The training was attended by over 65 leaders and employees from Public Housing Authorities. Shea Johnson not only welcomed the participants but also gave them an overview of HUD’s regional departments and what will be their roles in assisting PHAs with the routine work.

Jose Alvarez made participants aware of the significance of Fair Housing Month and the progress HUD has made toward protecting fair housing rights for future generations.

Before starting the training, Vanessa Mahan provided insight to the participants into the role of HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity to combat housing discrimination and achieve its goal of inclusive communities. She also told the participants about the Enforcement Division and how it conducts investigations on housing discrimination complaints. Besides this, she also revealed how important fair housing compliance training is and the knowledge it provides to the Public Housing Authorities. Vanessa encouraged the PHA leaders and employees to stay connected to the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, to provide housing services to residents diligently, and accommodate those who have disabilities.

As part of the training, Regional Administrator Alvarez received a proclamation from Mayor B.H. Henderson III of Columbus, Georgia, recognizing April 2023 as Fair Housing Month.