City of Merced's commitment to ensuring and affirmatively furthering fair housing to all citizens:

On April 11, 1968, a week after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Fair Housing Act of 1968 into law, also known as the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which expanded upon the 1964 Civil Rights Act in prohibiting discrimination in the sale, rental, or financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, sex, (and as amended) disability, and family status.  

In accepting and distributing HUD funds into the community for the benefit of all its residents, per Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations Subtitle A, the City of Merced takes very seriously its commitment "to take meaningful actions, in addition to combating discrimination, to overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities free from barriers that restrict access to opportunity based on protected characteristics.  Specifically, affirmatively furthering fair housing means taking meaningful actions that, taken together, address significant disparities in housing needs and in access to opportunity, replacing segregated living patterns with truly integrated and balanced living patterns, transforming racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty into areas of opportunity, and fostering and maintaining compliance with civil rights and fair housing laws.  The duty to affirmatively further fair housing extends to all ... activities and programs relating to housing and urban development."

Fair Housing Services for Merced City Residents:

To help us in this commitment, through federal funding provided by the HUD, the City of Merced contracts with Project Sentinel, Inc. to assist the City in working with tenants, landlords, and other residents within the City of Merced city limits with fair housing education, discrimination investigation and dispute resolution, and advocacy. 

If any City of Merced resident feels their fair housing rights under the Fair Housing Act have been infringed, Project Sentinel may be able to help with:

• Investigating your complaint
• Educating the owner or manager about their legal obligations
• Negotiating with the property owner or manager on your behalf
• Helping you file a complaint with a state or federal fair housing enforcement agency
• Advocating for you during the complaint process

Contact Project Sentinel:

• Office location: 1231 8th Street, Suite 425, Modesto California 95354 (no Merced location at this time)
• Telephone - Toll Free:  (888) 324-7468 or (800) 339-6043
• TTY:  (800) 735-2929  7-1-1
• Email: info@housing.org
• Website: www.housing.org

Resources Prepared and Provided by Project Sentinel: 

For Tenants:

Housing Discrimination Rights and Responsibilities:

• Rights and Responsibilities - English
• Rights and Responsibilities - Spanish
• Rights and Responsibilities - Vietnamese
• Rights and Responsibilities - Chinese
• Rights and Responsibilities - Korean
• Rights and Responsibilities - Russian

National Origin and Immigration Status

• National Origin & Immigration Status - English

Immigrants

• Fair Housing for Immigrants - English
• Fair Housing for Immigrants - Spanish
• Fair Housing for Immigrants - Vietnamese
• Fair Housing for Immigrants - Chinese

Families With Children

• Families With Children - English
• Families With Children - Spanish
• Families With Children - Vietnamese
• Families With Children - Chinese
• Families With Children - Korean
• Families With Children - Russian

Veterans & Military

• Veterans and Military - English
• Veterans and Military - Spanish

Licensed Daycares

• Licensed Daycares - English
• Licensed Daycares - Spanish

Service Animals

• Service Animals - English
• Service Animals - Spanish
• Service Animals - Vietnamese
• Service Animals - Chinese

Retaliation

• Retaliation - English

For Landlords/Managers/Property Owners:

• Guide to Renting and Managing Property - English
• Advertising the Fair housing Way - English