Housing & Community Development Forum

Source of Income Rental Protection: Current Landscape & Overcoming Constitutional Challenges.

July 15, 2026 | 12PM – 2PM | Virtual, via Zoom

Register here: https://lasclev.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7kTcJO8DTP2uExdQTWY50g
2.0 CLE credits will be available to those who attend the live forum.

This CLE session will explore “Source of Income” (SOI) protections for renters who rely on Housing Choice Vouchers and other lawful forms of non-wage income to secure housing. In Ohio, source of income is not currently protected under state fair housing law, leaving renters subject to a patchwork of local ordinances that varies significantly by jurisdiction. The discussion will examine how this uneven legal landscape affects housing access across the state, particularly for voucher holders, families with children, older adults, and people with disabilities, and will highlight the growing number of Ohio municipalities that have adopted local SOI protections in response to persistent barriers in the private rental market. The webinar will also explore recent constitutional challenges to SOI protections and how municipalities and courts have been addressing those challenges.

Speakers:

  • Heather Abraham, J.D., Professor, Civil Rights & Housing Clinic University at Buffalo School of Law

Professor Heather Abraham directs the Civil Rights & Housing Clinic at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law, a litigation clinic dedicated to enforcing and advancing civil rights and government accountability, with a particular emphasis on fair housing, employment discrimination, voting rights, and a range of housing-related assistance, including eviction defense in Buffalo City Court.

Professor Abraham’s academic research and scholarship focuses on enforcement of the federal Fair Housing Act, and to state and local human rights laws, and explores how fair housing laws can be used to reduce residential segregation.

She began her legal career as a judicial clerk in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. She previously served as a Supervising Attorney in the Civil Rights Clinic at Georgetown Law. Prior to teaching, she worked as a legal services attorney, representing low-income renters in eviction proceedings. In that role, she recognized the need for more proactive and holistic solutions for people with a history of homelessness. In response, she organized a resilient coalition of public and private partners to launch a restorative, problem-solving “Community Outreach Court,” to mitigate the collateral consequences of conviction and break the debtor’s cycle. In 2018, the Michigan Courts honored her with the distinguished Robert Griffin Award.

Early in her career, she worked in the U.S. Senate as a legislative staff member and served in the U.S. Peace Corps in Guatemala, where she worked collaboratively with civil servants to rebuild the post-civil war municipal government. She earned her J.D. and Master of Public Policy in housing and community development from the University of Minnesota. She received her LL.M. from Georgetown Law.

  • Hazel Remesch, J.D., Ohio State and Local Policy Director, Enterprise Community Partners

Hazel Remesch is Director of State and Local Policy for Ohio at Enterprise Community Partners, where she advances policy solutions that expand access to affordable housing and strengthen renter protections across the state. Based in Cleveland, she works at the intersection of housing, equity, and systems change, advocating on issues related to fair housing, federal housing policy, and statewide tax and housing policy. Before joining Enterprise, Hazel spent 15 years at the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, where she most recently served as managing attorney of the Housing Practice Group and helped lead efforts to advance housing stability and access to counsel for tenants facing eviction. Her work has earned recognition across the region, including the Innovation Mission Fellowship, Cleveland City Champion honors, and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association’s Professionalism Award. Hazel holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida International University and a J.D. from St. Thomas University.

  • Moderated by: Katherine Hollingsworth, J.D., Executive Director, Northeast Ohio Legal Aid

Katherine B. Hollingsworth became Northeast Ohio Legal Aid’s inaugural Executive Director in February 2025.  At Northeast Ohio Legal Aid, Katherine works to amplify community voices and accelerate positive change in the community through local legislative initiatives and other policy advocacy approaches. Katherine previously served as the Managing Attorney of the Economic Justice Group at The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. In addition to supervising the representation of clients with employment and consumer issues, she also led the group’s systemic advocacy efforts to secure greater economic stability and access to justice for people with low income in Northeast Ohio. Katherine received her BA from Middlebury College and her JD from Georgetown University Law Center.  

The Housing & Community Development Forum is presented by Home Repair Resource Center, Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research, and Greater Cleveland Reinvestment Coalition. This organizational collaboration convenes a team comprised of individuals and organizations working to raise awareness to housing issues at the local, county, and state level.

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