Fair Housing Act
Introduction
The Fair Housing Act is a policy that has been used for decades to solve the social problem of homelessness. The main aspect of the policy is the protection of people against discrimination because of their association with a member of a protected class. There is also the aspect of protection for persons with disabilities. In 2012, the Fair Housing Act was amended to protect the rights of homeless individuals and to prevent discrimination against them (Massey, 2015). As such, the Fair Housing Act became the first state-level statute that is designed to protect the rights of homeless citizens.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Policy
The main advantage of the Fair Housing Act is that it reduces various forms of discrimination when renting an apartment. The Act plays a huge role in promoting equal housing opportunities for all and prohibiting discrimination based on color, race, sex, religion, national origin, disability, or familial status (Massey, 2015). This policy applies to transitional housing and homeless shelters. It also requires homeless shelter providers to adhere to the established state and federal fair housing laws for mitigating claims of fair housing discrimination. A major disadvantage of the policy in the context of homelessness is that it does not directly emphasize the needs of homeless people. It fails to provide for special treatment of homeless people with healthcare needs. Another weakness of the policy is that it is not supported by everyone. For instance, the Trump administration, specifically the HUD has neglected its responsibility of enforcing anti-discrimination policies in the housing sector.
Effects on Clinical Social Workers
The policy has minimal effects on clinical social workers because it mainly emphasizes on issues of housing and discrimination. It does not have aspects that are specific to homeless individuals that may require clinical assistance. It fails to provide for special treatment of homeless people with healthcare needs. Given the susceptibility of homeless people to illnesses, the Fair Housing Act needs to consider integrating an aspect of healthcare in its push for fair housing.
Update on Advocacy Activities
One advocacy activity proposed in the week 6 assignment is mobilizing influential people and groups to act to bring about the required changes. Governmental decision-makers were identified as the most influential stakeholders in implementing the policy and promoting social justice. This week, the identified additional stakeholders that are influential in the policy implementation are housing providers, community-based organizations, unions, local communities, research-centered institutions, and the general public. These stakeholders influence policy implementation by making decisions that impact people’s lives and having opinions and actions that influence policymakers.
The advocacy activities will also entail demonstrating the benefits of the policy to stakeholders to get their support. The communication will rely on a broad range of tactics and tools, including letter-writing, use of media and the Internet, lobbying, and legal action. To ensure clarity in communications, the goals of the policy change will be achievable and clear, the messages will be compelling for the stakeholders, and the call to action will be concise and specific (Servaes & Malikhao, 2010). These efforts will help in mobilizing broad coalitions of political and public support towards a common goal of policy change.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Fair Housing Act is one major policy that can be used to solve the problem of homelessness. Since its enactment by the U.S. Congress in 1968, the policy has achieved a lot in solving the social problem. A strength of the policy is that it promotes equal housing opportunities for all. A major weakness is that it does not directly address the specific needs of homeless people, and it is not supported by everyone. Efforts to change the policy problem will include planning for social policy and demonstrating how the policy will benefit the community. The techniques of communication will include letter writing, use of media and the Internet, lobbying, and legal action.