Norwalk fair-housing officer reports 108 intakes in six months, plans expanded outreach and grant application

Fair Housing Officer Sabrina Roman told the Norwalk Fair Housing Advisory Commission on Oct. 20 that the office has taken 108 intakes and confirmed 63 fair-housing complaints since she began on April 7, and she outlined plans to expand education and apply for a fiscal-year 2026 grant to support outreach work.

Roman said the office has shifted from predominantly reactive casework toward a mix of enforcement and prevention, telling commissioners that "the strongest fair housing office is one that informs before it enforces." She described upgrades to the office’s website and social-media presence, new digital intake and tracking templates, and partnerships with local housing providers and nonprofits.

The report to commissioners summarized the types of complaints the office has received, the services provided, and next steps. Roman said the most frequent complaint categories were source-of-income discrimination (including Section 8 voucher denials and cancelled inspections), disability accommodation requests (accessible units, parking, and service animals), retaliation or harassment after complaints, lease and billing issues affecting low-income tenants, and succession-rights…