Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Message

Blog MLK
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Message
By Rick Schroeder, President

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. played a significant role in removing barriers to housing which existed for too many of our fellow citizens.  In 1965 Dr. King began the ‘Chicago Freedom Movement’, a campaign which sought to challenge discrimination in employment, education, and housing in the city of Chicago.  Attacking such discrimination was a natural outgrowth of his work in civil and voting rights in the South since such racial discrimination, including discrimination in housing, existed throughout the United States, even in the North.  In a speech in Chicago on March 12, 1966, Dr. King spoke of the deplorable living conditions forced upon so many because of prejudice, segregation, racial covenants, redlining, and other discriminatory practices.

Although Dr. King’s life was tragically cut short just two years later, his death immediately led to the adoption of the Fair Housing Act of 1968—a law which prohibits discrimination in housing based on one’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or familial status and ensures that all Americans have access to equal housing opportunities.

As we honor Dr. King’s birthday and legacy in 2021, we know that we still have a long way to go before all Americans have access to equal housing opportunities.   Recent events have demonstrated that many areas of our life, including education, employment, income, and housing, are neither equal nor accessible to all.

At Many Mansions we play an important role in bringing Dr. King’s vision to those in our community most in need of housing and those who have been denied its equal access.  We continue to envision a world where everyone, if given the opportunity, can reach their potential through stable, affordable, and enriching housing.  We remain dedicated to developing affordable housing communities which are just, which are open, which give dignity, which give opportunity, and which give hope.

Dr. King ended his Chicago speech by asking that we engage in a sort of ‘Divine Dissatisfaction’ until “the American Dream is a Reality.”  That we remain ‘dissatisfied’ until there is no more oppression and segregation in our lives, including housing.  He warns that, “the road ahead will not always be smooth,” and that “our dreams will sometimes be shattered and our ethereal hopes blasted.”   But as difficult and painful as it may be, “We must walk on in the days ahead with an audacious faith in the future.”

On this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration let us honor this great man and dedicate ourselves to his vision.

Many Mansions gets $50K boost

Thousand Oaks-based Many Mansions has been declared a Neighborhood Champion by Bank of America, an honor that brings with it a $50,000 prize.

The Neighborhood Champions program is an extension of the bank’s philanthropic initiative, Neighborhood Builders, a corporate investment program in nonprofit leadership.

Many Mansions was selected for its work providing affordable housing and on-site supportive services to help low-income families achieve financial stability. As part of the program, it will receive a $50,000 grant support and virtual leadership training by nonprofit sector experts on topics such as human capital management, financial sustainability and storytelling.

Ventura County’s homeless population rose for the third year in a row in 2020, a 4.4% increase from 2019. In response to the growing need for affordable housing in the region, Many Mansions plans to add 600 units to its building pipeline, expand into new communities and build new residences for veterans, seniors and the chronically homeless with children.

 

Article originally appeared in the Thousand Oaks Acorn.