Our History

Clifford Schrupp, Founder and First Director of the Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroitroit, MI - Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit

The Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization that supports and encourages equal housing opportunities in the greater Detroit metropolitan area.

 

The Fair Housing Center is a membership-based organization. The Center was established in 1977 by community members who participated in a “Coalition to End Discrimination in Housing" under the leadership and guidance of Cliff Schrupp, the Center’s founder and first director. The Center is the oldest fair housing center in Michigan and one of the oldest fair housing centers in the nation. 


Cliff later authored the Local Fair Housing Center Organizing Project: Organizing Instructions and Materials, a guide that established approximately 20 fair housing centers throughout the United States.

 

The Center’s mission is to ensure equal access to housing without discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), familial status, disability, and all other protected class categories under federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws and ordinances.

 

From 1977 to the present, the Fair Housing Center has strived to fulfill its mission by engaging in the following activities: Providing assistance to individuals pursuing legal rights and remedies related to fair housing; offering housing assistance and counseling; providing community outreach, education, and fair housing training; and performing research in the area of housing.


To date, the Fair Housing Center has received over 8,000 complaints of fair housing violations. After investigating, the Center assisted in and initiated approximately 500 litigations, recovering over $12 million to remedy fair housing violations, as well as various forms of affirmative relief including the adoption of non-discriminatory policies and fair housing training. 


Notably, the Center has also helped thousands of others obtain the housing of their choice without the necessity of litigation. Indeed, many fair housing and landlord-tenant complaints are resolved after the Center informs housing providers and  complainants as to what the law requires.   


The Fair Housing Center has been the recipient of numerous awards for its fair housing services. At the national level, the Center received a Fair Housing Testing Award from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and a Best Practices Award from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). At the state level, the Center was the first awardee of the Kimberly M. Cahill Bar Leadership Award from the State Bar of Michigan.

Our service area is the Detroit Metropolitan Area, consisting of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties, MI.

 

As of 2018, this service area includes nearly 40% (38.89%) of Michigan’s population. Our service area also includes close to 70% of all Black or African American residents in Michigan, and high percentages of other racial and ethnic groups.

Service Area - Detroit, MI - Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit

Our Service Area

Our service area is the Detroit Metropolitan Area, including Michigan's three most populous counties: Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties. Additionally, the Center has recently added St. Clair County as a fourth county in its service area.


Major cities and townships within the Center’s four county service area include:

  • Wayne County - Detroit, Dearborn, Livonia, Canton, Westland, Taylor, Dearborn Heights, Redford Township, Lincoln Park, and Brownstown Township.
  • Oakland County - Troy, Farmington Hills, Rochester Hills, Southfield, Waterford Township, West Bloomfield Township, Novi, Pontiac, Royal Oak, Bloomfield Township, Commerce Township, and Orion Township.
  • Macomb County -Warren, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, Macomb Township, Utica, St. Clair Shores, New Baltimore, Roseville, and Eastpointe. 
  • St. Clair County - Port Huron, Marysville, St. Clair, Algonac, and Marine City. 


As of 2023, our four county service area includes over 4 million residents, exceeding 40% (40.47%) of Michigan’s population. Our service area also includes approximately 70% of all Black or African American residents in Michigan, as well as high percentages of other racial, ethnic, and language groups.

Fair Housing Office - Detroit, MI - Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit

Our Office Staff

Steve Tomkowiak, B.S., M.A., J.D.

Executive Director


Engela D. Bertolini, B.A., M.A, M.A.T.

Coordinator of Systemic Investigations and Testing


Dia Chiku F. Mason, B.A., J.D.

Staff Attorney


Aron Hagos, L.L.B., L.L.M.

Fair Housing Specialist

Roshelle Woods, B.A.

Intake Specialist


Charles Shanaman, B.A., M.A.

Coordinator of Administration and Investigations

Financial

Deborah Eggleston, CPA

Accountant


Blair Pearce, CB

Bookkeeper

Our Office

Fair Housing Office - Detroit, MI - Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit

Our office is located in the Samaritan Center. The Samaritan Center has a long history of serving the disadvantaged. The mission of the Samaritan Center is to provide a facility for a unique group of independent, community-based organizations.


As illustrated by the ceramic tile murals at the entrance to the Samaritan Center, the organizations working at the Samaritan Center provide healthcare, education, training, employment, and a host of other programs leading to economic development and self-sufficiency. 

Our Board

Board Of Directors - Detroit, MI - Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit

Karlynne Tucker Scaggs, KITucker, LLC

Chairperson


Noel J. Saleh, Esq., Law Office of Noel J. Saleh, P.C.

Vice-Chairperson


Dennis J. Varian, Associated Management Co.

Vice-Chairperson


Lucy H. Maddox, Retired

Secretary


Vernon L Shadd, Retired

Treasurer


Leah Brewer, CALP, CAM, Full House Marketing, Inc.

Terry L. Ward, Retired


David J. Cross, Esq., Lakeshore Legal Aid


Hector Hernandez, Executive Director, Southwest Economic Solutions


Gayle S. McGregor, Esq.


John A. Obee, Esq., Of Counsel, Wood, Kull, Herschfus, Obee & Kull, P.C.


Sharon Rhodes, T. J. Enterprise & Associates, Inc.


Freda G. Sampson, Freda G. Sampson, LLC


Lindsay Yousif, Executive Director of Compliance, Fair & Responsible Banking, Ally Bank

Three Houses And A Tree - Detroit, MI - Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit

Our Governmental Supporters

We acknowledge and appreciate the financial support we receive from national and local governmental entities. The Fair Housing Center could not operate as effectively or serve the fair housing needs of our community without this support.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA)

Wayne County

Macomb County

Oakland County

Clinton Township

Royal Oak

Dearborn

Dearborn Heights

Livonia

St. Clair Shores

Waterford Township

Farmington Hills

Westland

Southfield

Our Contributing Sponsors And Members

The following is our list of annual members, committed to the support of fair housing in our community.* We appreciate your support!

Platinum Sponsor ($10,000)

Pitt McGehee Palmer Bonanni & Rivers


Gold Sponsor ($5,000)

Lake Michigan Credit Union

First Merchants Corporation


Silver Sponsor ($2,000)

Shelby Park Manor


Bronze Sponsor ($1,000)

The Associated Management Company ($1,250)


Dennis and Jennifer Varian

John Obee, Esq. and Janice Obee

Gayle McGregor, Esq.

Professor Gerald Van Dusen


Karlynne Tucker Scaggs ($600)


Supporting Sponsor ($500)

Ethos Development Partners

Gayle McGregor, Esq.

Volunteers of America – Michigan

Noel Saleh, Esq.

Steve Tomkowiak, Esq.


Ally Financial Corporate Citizenship & Lindsay Yousif ($725)


Karlynne Tucker Scaggs ($400)


Joyce C. Tucker, June Davis & Karlynne Tucker Scaggs (in loving memory of Charles M. Tucker, Jr.) ($350)

Evelyn Caise ($350)

Freda Sampson ($350)


Robin Wagner, Esq. ($300)


Fusco, Shaffer & Pappas, Inc. ($250)


James Shaafsma, Esq. ($200)

David J. Snider, Ph.D. ($200)


Leah Brewer ($150)

Cheryl Burkoff ($150)

Lucy Maddox ($150)

Contributing Sponsor ($100)

Leah Brewer ($150)


Full House Marketing, Staffing & Training

Developing Kingdoms in Different Stages (K.I.D.S.)


Karlynne Tucker Scaggs ($100 in honor of the birthday of Dennis Varian)

Steve Tomkowiak ($100 in honor of the birthday of Dennis Varian)


Vernon L. Shadd

Terry L. Ward

Kimberly Johnson

Joyce C. Tucker

Joel R. Gibson

Taura N. Brown


Member ($50)

Lisabeth Keegan

Aron Hagos

June Davis

Jack Schwab

*The above list is limited to contributions and memberships in the last 12 months. 

Our Annual Reports And Newsletters

Find the help you need. Call 313-579-FAIR.

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