Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council

05/23/2026

Do you need a physical change to your housing based on a disability? Know your rights to reasonable modifications in a housing situation.

Modifications to make your home accessible can take many forms, such as:

- Adding a ramp or handrail over steps
- Installing a grab bar in a shower, or next to a toilet
- Switching carpeting to hard-surface flooring
- Changing round door k***s to lever handles
... and more!

Contact the Fair Housing Council if you have questions: 1-877-647-3247.

05/21/2026

Congratulations to our colleagues at Access Living! This landmark settlement "requires the City of Chicago to identify, build or rehabilitate 2,800 units to comply with federal accessibility standards, develop policies to prevent future civil rights violations and pay damages for interfering with Access Living’s mission of promoting full community integration for Chicagoans with disabilities."

If you live in Wisconsin and are concerned you're facing discrimination and inaccessible housing, contact the Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council at fairhousingwisconsin.com.

Yesterday, Access Living announced settlement of the second-largest accessible affordable housing lawsuit in history. After over 8 years, the City of Chicago will now be required to build and/or retrofit 2,800 units to be accessible with a significant portion of those being affordable. This is a massive win for people with disabilities!

https://www.accessliving.org/newsroom/press-releases-and-statements/access-living-wins-civil-rights-lawsuit-against-city-of-chicago/

05/20/2026

"Galvanized by a federal government that has aggressively backed 'reverse discrimination' legal cases. . . white nationalists are increasingly pushing the boundaries of the nation’s civil rights laws. Those boundaries include several landmark fair housing laws, which explicitly ban discrimination in real estate on the basis of race and religion."

Discrimination based on race, religion, and other protected characteristics has been outlawed in the U.S. for many decades. Questions? Concerned you've faced discrimination in Wisconsin? Contact the Fair Housing Council.

Return to the Land, a 160-acre development requiring members be white and heterosexual, is breaking fair housing and civil rights laws, according to a lawsuit.

05/20/2026

We offer fair housing presentations!

Would your organization like to learn more about housing discrimination and building inclusive communities? We offer free presentations to religious congregations, social service agencies, community groups and others!

Our presentations cover topics such as:

- Protections defined in local, state and federal fair housing laws
- Segregation in Wisconsin
- Contemporary forms of illegal discrimination
- Remedies available to people who have experienced discrimination
- How complaints of illegal discrimination are investigated
- When to refer clients to the Fair Housing Council
- What your members, clients, and staff can do to assist in fair housing law enforcement

Reach out to us at fairhousingwisconsin.org or 1-877-647-3247 for more information.

05/18/2026

Fair Housing Council staff are looking forward to sharing information at the Housing Resources, Inc. Homeownership Fair on Saturday, June 6! We'll have lots of information to share about fair housing rights, red flags of discrimination when buying a home, and how you can get involved in building inclusive communities for everyone.

Find us at Greater New Birth Church, 8237 W. Silver Spring, 10 to 2.

05/13/2026

Over the weekend, the Lisbon Town Hall and 9/11 Memorial in Waukesha County were vandalized with antisemitic phrases, symbols, and Bible references.

Congregation Emanu-El of Waukesha issued a statement: “We, the leadership of Congregation Emanu-El of Waukesha, are deeply disturbed and heartbroken by the cowardly act of vandalism discovered at the Lisbon Village Hall and 9/11 memorial over the weekend. We consider the presence of antisemitic graffiti as a direct attack on us. It was designed to incite fear, intimidation, and division within our Waukesha County communities. We appreciate the Waukesha Sheriff’s swift action in investigating this hate crime and encourage anyone with information to come forward."

If you encounter hate in your community, or are concerned you may, check out our Resource Guide for Responding to Hate: https://www.fairhousingwisconsin.com/fighting-hate

[email protected] LISBON — Residents in Lisbon woke up Saturda

05/10/2026

If you've experienced housing discrimination, help is available. Contact the Fair Housing Council.

05/09/2026

Neenah friends! This upcoming Tuesday, May 12, we're hosting a free fair housing training seminar from 10 to noon at the Neenah Public Library. While the training will provide an overview of fair housing topics, we'll pay special attention to fair housing for people with disabilities. Questions about service animals, emotional support animals, reasonable accommodations and modifications? Join us!

While the seminar is free, please register in advance: https://tinyurl.com/NeenahFHTrainingMay2026

05/08/2026

Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the second largest settlement ever obtained by the department in an individual housing discrimination case. The case alleged that the owners and managers of an apartment building had violated fair housing law by refusing a reasonable accommodation to a mother who requested to move to a ground-floor unit. Her request was based on the fact that her son had a genetic disorder that caused permanent mobility impairment. The settlement requires the defendants to pay $750,000 to the family. For more information about this case, see a link in the comments.

Reasonable accommodations in housing can take many different forms. If you have questions about reasonable accommodations for housing consumers with disabilities, contact us at 1-877-647-3247 or fairhousingwisconsin.com.

Text on slides reads:

What is a reasonable accommodation in housing?

A reasonable accommodation is an
exception or change to a housing provider’s normal rule, policy, or procedure.

Housing providers make reasonable accommodations when the requested change is necessary because of a person’s disability.

Accommodations may take many different forms.

Examples of reasonable accommodations in housing:

Changing the location of a tenant’s parking space

Permitting a tenant to live with an emotional support animal or service animal

Allowing a tenant to switch units to one that meets their needs
... and more!

Questions? Call 1-877-647-3247 or visit fairhousingwisconsin.com.

05/08/2026

Do you own or manage rental housing in Madison? You don't want to miss this FREE seminar on fair housing rights and responsibilities. We'll talk about how anti-discrimination laws affect every stage of a housing transaction, and the differences between local, state, and federal laws.

Join us on May 21, from 2 to 4:30, at the Goodman South Branch of the Madison Public Library.

While the seminar is free, please register in advance at https://tinyurl.com/MadisonFHTrainingMay2026

05/07/2026

What happens when the federal government steps away from promotion of our civil rights?

"In theory, the fact that every state has a fair housing law means that fair housing protections could be enforced even if the federal government abandons its enforcement role. However, enforcement takes resources."

As the feds back away from enforcement of fair housing and community reinvestment measures, state and local versions may grow more important.