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Better Toledo | Redlining in Toledo, The Fair Housing Center

The Fair Housing Center discussing the community impact of redlining in Toledo

The Fair Housing Center will explore the issue of redlining on both a national level and in the city of Toledo. We will discuss the policies that were put in place that created redlining and the lasting impact they have had on Toledo and the country, as well as the ways redlining affects various aspects of life, including healthcare and education. We will also be featuring the short documentary, “Zip Code Matters.”  Fair housing ensures that more people have access to quality schools, good jobs, and other key services that help them realize their potential and strengthen our community. By promoting diversity, fair housing also enhances the fabric of our neighborhoods. That is why The Fair Housing Center was founded in 1975: to help unlock the doors of opportunity for our community. The Center is a national leader in efforts to eliminate housing discrimination and enforce fair housing laws. Its work helps ensure that every person has access to safe and affordable housing regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, familial status, disability, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity, source of income, or immigration status.

This event is sponsored by The City of Toledo Human Relations Commission and is part of Better Toledo, a personal and professional development series to ensure “you will do better in Toledo.”

Certificates of completion are available to participants who take part in three or more sessions in 2023.

For group registrations please call 419-259-5293.

George Thomas is a native Toledoan and a 2007 graduate of the University of Toledo's College of Law. George's law practice focuses on nonprofit legal services in the areas of fair housing, landlord-tenant, community development, and nonprofit governance. For his work in the Toledo community, George received a competitive Equal Justice Works Fellowship, as well as a Toledo 20 Under 40 award. His public interest law work has been covered in the New York Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, and frequently in the Toledo Blade. George now serves as the CEO and General Counsel for The Fair Housing Center where he manages the Center, as well as its litigation and law reform advocacy. This work includes drafting the City of Toledo's Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice, which examines the impact of redlining and other barriers to fair housing choice in Toledo.

Rachael Fortlage has a Bachelor’s in English Literature from The George Washington University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Toledo College of Law. While pursuing her law degree, Rachael completed internships in both administrative and public service law, in addition to working as an editor for The University of Toledo Law Review and as the College of Law’s writing fellow. As a Staff Attorney at The Fair Housing Center, Rachael investigates and pursues claims of discrimination with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, assists with reasonable accommodation and modification claims, and engages in investigations, research, and advocacy.

Christina Rodriguez is a Toledo native who received a Bachelor's in both Anthropology and Political Science with a concentration in Public Administration from the University of Toledo prior to attending the University of Toledo’s College of Law. While in law school, she joined The Fair Housing Center in 2014 as a legal intern. After her internship, Christina was hired as a part-time staff person at The Fair Housing Center. After graduating from law school, she began work as a full-time Fair Housing Specialist. Christina became Staff Attorney after passing the Ohio Bar Exam in 2017 and was promoted to Senior Staff Attorney overseeing enforcement in 2020. Christina started her new position as Housing Conditions and Neighborhood Reinvestment Attorney in late 2022. Her work at The Fair Housing Center has included the investigation of hundreds of fair housing complaints, federal grant writing, contribution to the City of Toledo’s Analysis of Impediments, and the investigation, litigation, and settlement of one of The Fair Housing Center’s most recent fair housing lawsuits. In her new role, she assists tenants throughout Toledo with housing conditions and other landlord-tenant issues and works with community groups and local banks in furtherance of the Community Reinvestment Act. Christina is an advocate for persons with disabilities and is a member of the Toledo Lucas County Commission on Disabilities. She is also a Trustee of the Northwest Ohio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

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