Advocates, city officials, and concerned residents gathered on June 20 for Raleigh’s 2025 Fair Housing Conference, an event dedicated to not only preserving but actively bolstering initiatives that advocate for equal housing opportunities. Sponsored by the City of Raleigh’s Fair Housing Hearing Board and Housing and Neighborhoods Department, the conference’s mission was clear in its title: “Fair Housing is Still Law.” The agenda was packed with discussions on the city’s housing history and the persistent hurdles that challenge the advancement of fair housing equity.
One of the day’s highlights was a keynote address from Lorena Dionne McDowell, whose storied career in housing advocacy has rendered her a beacon in the struggle for systemic change. McDowell called on attendees to never to take lightly the task at hand, emphasizing that “continued progress” is a must for the city and beyond. According to the City of Raleigh’s report, this call to action punctuated a day filled with sessions designed to educate and empower those in the realm of fair housing.
The timing of such an assembly is no random affair, for it lands within the pulse of national conversations about equitable access to housing. The collective expertise of the participants, from the residents who live the everyday reality of these issues to the professionals who navigate the intricacies of housing policies, is a testament to Raleigh’s commitment to fostering a community where discrimination has no quarter…