As I watched Senator Obama walk out onto the stage in Chicago to give his victory speech, I could not help but be moved by the fair housing symbolism of the new President Elect Obama and the "first family" moving into the White House in January.

Obama's heartwarming words to his daughters, Malia and Sasha, "I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House," charmed many observers and reflected the excitement of countless families whom real estate professionals work with every day as they move into a into a new home. In so doing, as professionals we celebrate a simple reality -- that the United States remains a land of opportunity and that homeownership remains a core value for America's working families.

Significantly, more than forty years after the enactment of the Federal Fair Housing Act, Dr. King's vision for a racially and economically inclusive society is being realized – but as many studies document, not universally experienced.

Whether one considers the imagery from the Presidential campaigns, the industries commitment to equal professional service, or the profound and clear economic realities of our nations changing real estate demographics, as fair housing stakeholders we have much to celebrate, but much more to do.

As the new Administration's begins it's transition work, we must acknowledge that discrimination persists in our country despite laws prohibiting such conduct. While this election reflects progress and change, discrimination is sustained by a myriad of social forces and institutional mechanisms that reflect the divisions and inequalities in our society. Now is the time to act in partnership to affirm equal housing opportunity and invest in strong communities that celebrate homeownership.

The Fair Housing Act was signed into law in 1968. As a result, we have 40 years of experience to learn from and that in many instances celebrate our accomplishments. However, we must also admit that the current enforcement system does not work. One only needs to examine the prevalence of predatory lending targeted at African American and Latino families and the related community impact on housing values, schools, and the tax base to graphically illustrate this point.

While I believe that the work of the National Association of Realtors, The National Association of Real Estate Brokers, and countless other public and private sector organizations committed to affirmatively furthering fair housing should be applauded, and while we have developed many effective best practice, ethics, and partnership models, that enforcement of the Federal Fair Housing Act has been uninspiring at best.

As the National Community Reinvestment Coalition has noted in testimony both before Congress and the recent hearings held by the National Commission on Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, a lack of funding is a major part of the problem, but not the only issue. A lack of appropriate coordination between various agencies responsible for enforcing civil rights and equal opportunity is another factor, and the insufficient political stature at the federal administrative level of government also undermine progress on this essential national mandate. In addition, other related civil rights laws, such as the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, remain equally poorly enforced.

Thus, a comprehensive approach to eradicating housing discrimination and furthering fair housing must begin with an acknowledgement that the current system is not working. If real estate and fair housing professionals seize the moment, we have one of those rare moments in time to partner to celebrate equal housing opportunity and to promote the public and private sector fair housing agenda.

Every community has an interest in promoting fair housing because fair housing builds strong and healthy communities and a strong economy. Repeatedly, as Realtor and real estate trade conferences that I have spoken at, I have heard the phrase that "growth in the real estate markets will lead the economy at of recession."

In response to this continued failure to enforce the law, my organization has recommended the establishment of a new cabinet-level agency focused on civil rights enforcement. This agency would report directly to the President of the United States and would be responsible for measuring, monitoring, and eliminating all forms of discrimination from our society once and for all. And, given the importance of housing to accessing opportunities for social and economic advancement, housing related laws would be among the new agency's highest priorities.

Importantly, this new cabinet-level agency would not supplant the civil rights responsibilities of other federal agencies. Rather, it would develop a strategic plan to coordinate the activities of all agencies, as well as federal regulatory agencies. It would, however, have the authority to act to enforce the law in instances in which agencies with principal enforcement responsibility fail to carry out their civil rights enforcement mandates. Finally, this agency would develop and support public service campaigns to help educate the public on this important issue. And it would participate in affirmative marketing and related efforts to promote a more integrated and inclusive society.

In conclusion, I invite you to post your thoughts below and contact me off line to discuss this proposed new agency and approach. And, happily circling back to the "first family," I hope that the Obama's will have the benefit of working with a licensed real estate professional for their relocation, because real estate professionals today are committed to equal professional service and open housing.

Published: January 7, 2009

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David Berenbaum is a national recognized fair housing expert who serves as the Executive Vice President of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. He has attained national recognition for his testimony before Congress, collaborative work on fair housing and fair lending compliance initiatives, and for his appearances on numerous national news shows and he is extensively quoted in the press. He is available for training, consulting, and public speaking engagements and can be reached at .