Today, as a nation, we take time to celebrate and honor the achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. While Dr. King is best known for his efforts in advancing civil rights and fighting for equality and justice for all Americans, he also had a significant impact on affordable housing.
Dr. King recognized the principle of fair housing as a fundamental right of all people, regardless of race, social, or economic standing. He advocated for fair housing policies and actively protested housing discrimination and segregation laws. His work helped bring into the public eye the disparities faced by minorities in accessing affordable, quality housing.
The Fair Housing Act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson just a week after Dr. King’s assassination on April 4, 1968, and stands as a key legislative achievement tied to his advocacy. This law aimed to eliminate housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and sought to provide greater opportunities for minorities to access housing in a variety of communities.
Dr. King’s vision of equality and economic justice laid the foundation and has helped inspire the work of Petra Community Housing since our founding back in 1994. His call and impact remain a motivating factor in our current staff, board of directors, and supporters.
At Petra we believe that all Americans should be able to attain safe, affordable housing within our community. We believe that those with disabilities should have the same opportunity to attain safe and affordable housing and that no one should be discriminated on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or familial status.
Dr. King’s impact on affordable housing serves as a reminder of the ongoing need to address housing inequality and continue to work toward creating more inclusive and equitable communities for everyone. Petra Community Housing remains committed to developing and maintaining quality housing for limited income households.
Please join us as we continue our mission in pursuing this key aspect of Dr. King’s dream. If you would like to learn more about Petra’s work and partner with us, please explore the links in our website navigation under About Us and Partner With Us.