Housing For The Trans-community

I am researching a term paper for one of my classes, where we have to research and analyze a government policy and the policy that I chose is HMIS or the Homeless Management Information System. Huh? It is a requirement that is imposed on homeless shelter if they receive federal fund and outline the data that they have to collect. A part of that requirement is that they collect information on the client’s gender and a new requirement just modified is section 3.5. They now require information if the client is MtF or FtM transsexual!

My research found based on the data collected here in Connecticut that 0.1% of the homeless population is transgendered or 3 trans-persons are in homeless shelters in Connecticut. Why is this important? It is because many time when we seek funding to assist the homeless trans-community we are asked how many are homeless, well now we have a definitive answer. Now maybe the spigot of funds might open up a little bit more.

In other housing news that is related to the LGBT community, HUD has proposed a new policy on regulations protect LGBT people from housing discrimination for renters in the HUD programs. According to an article in the New York Times…

Gay Renters to Get Some Discrimination Protection
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: October 30, 2009
“If the regulations pass, gay and transgender renters would get legal firepower they've never had, though not as extensive as other protected classes. The proposed regulations only cover HUD rental programs, so not all apartments will be included.”
…
“The federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, which covers all housing, prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It was amended in 1988 to include familial status and handicap. HUD investigates about 10,500 discrimination complaints a year. In cases involving threats of force, offenders can be criminally prosecuted.”
…
“In 2007, Michigan's Fair Housing Centers compared the treatment of same-sex couple versus heterosexual couples by landlords, real estate agents and lenders. Though the same-sex couples were given higher incomes and credit scores than their counterparts, one-third reported landlord discrimination.”
…
“And in Detroit, a landlord ticked off the apartment rules: ‘No drugs, prostitution, homosexuality, one-night stands.'”