Real-Time Takes: Housing

Real-Time Takes

A Policy Blogcast

Housing

Access to housing is a key factor to economic mobility. Without a place to live, the wellbeing and safety of thousands of Clevelanders is compromised. Towards Employment sat down with Austin Cummings, Senior Researcher at the Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research shed light on housing injustices within Cuyahoga County.

March 26, 2025

Interview and article by Gabrielle Fortin

Everyone deserves access to secure and affordable housing - this is undeniable. Unfortunately, people must navigate many obstacles to find housing that will keep them and their family safe. I sat down with Austin Cummings, Senior Researcher at the Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research to discuss housing injustices within Cuyahoga County.

Finding stability after being confined is crucial, but is difficult without a job or a place to live.

Austin’s current research includes an analysis assessing barriers individuals with criminal justice experience face in finding housing in Cuyahoga County. To do this, he is surveying individuals with criminal convictions as well as landlords to understand their experiences and perceptions. His hope is that his research will reveal gaps where intervention can have an impact. Austin explains the powerful role landlords play in shaping neighborhoods and giving individuals access to opportunities.

"Accessing housing is an important element for anybody whose a returning citizen to find stability"

Source of income discrimination occurs when landlords refuse to accept a housing voucher – whether it's from the Veterans Association, EDEN or Section 8 – despite these being valid forms of payment. Austin explains that this form of discrimination promotes segregation and calls for source of income protections:

"When housing providers are allowed to say 'No, I don't consider this a real form of valid income', its closing off access to higher opportunity neighborhoods."

Evictions are an additional barrier to finding and keeping housing. Landlords can reject an application if an individual has an eviction on their record, regardless of if they were actually evicted. Rents are rising, and making these payments is challenging. Cities are unable to pass rent stabilization policies because the Ohio legislature has preempted the ability of cities to do so.

People are already paying way too much for rent, and the Ohio State Legislature has made it unlawful for cities to put in rent stabilization methods.

Austin describes the inability to pass rent stabilization methods as a form of "structural violence". These policies keep people from accessing quality education, safe neighborhoods, and healthy living conditions.

"Not having source of income protections is the state saying, 'we are allowing people to be discriminated against."

There is a lot of work to be done in order to improve access to housing within Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. Austin believes that we must create human centered solutions and a system to ensure that people have rights, and that these rights are enforced.

"People have a hard time paying rent".

Access to stable housing and a safe living environment is a social determinant of work, and without this stability, thousands of Clevelanders are obstructed from achieving upward mobility. TE is providing additional supports to its participants to help find stable housing, in order to support our participant’s broader goals.

If you have experienced housing discrimination, or have a housing issue that may require advocacy, you can contact the Fair Housing Center for Rights and Research.

Previous Blogcast: Collateral Sanctions

Next Blogcast: Coming Soon!

About the Author

Gabrielle Fortin (she/her) is the Policy and Advocacy Associate at Towards Employment, where she began as a Cleveland Foundation Intern in May 2024. She is set to graduate from Case Western Reserve University in 2025 with dual B.A.s in Political Science and International Studies. Gabbi supports the Towards Employment Policy Action Plan, working to advance policies that promote economic mobility and equitable employment opportunities. She is passionate about social justice, community organizing, and loves Cleveland.

Towards Employment

Policy & Advocacy

Towards Employment promotes economic mobility, focusing on those most impacted by systemic racism. We educate and advocate for a more equitable workforce system where racial income gaps have been eliminated and everyone has access to family sustaining wages and quality jobs.

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