Des Moines proclaims April 2025 as Fair Housing Month; Polk County Housing Trust to hold outreach event

Summary

Mayor Connie Boesen read a proclamation declaring April 2025 as Fair Housing Month and invited representatives from the Polk County Housing Trust to speak about fair-housing outreach, including a community event this Saturday at the United Way building focused on lending, estate planning and generational wealth.

Mayor Connie Boesen read a proclamation at the April 7 meeting declaring April 2025 as Fair Housing Month, marking the anniversary of the federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 and citing related Iowa civil-rights protections.

Toby, identified by the mayor as representing the Polk County Housing Trust, thanked the council for support and described a community event the trust will host on Saturday at the United Way building. Toby said the program will include lenders and speakers discussing generational wealth, life insurance and estate planning and invited residents to attend from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The proclamation noted the federal Fair Housing Act’s protections against discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of housing on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability or family status, and referenced Iowa civil-rights protections. The mayor and the housing-trust representative emphasized awareness-raising and outreach as part of local civil-rights and housing-equity efforts. A brief photo opportunity followed the remarks.

Those wanting more information on the Polk County Housing Trust’s event were directed to the trust and the city’s communications channels.