The Thurston County Fair Housing Survey in Olympia runs through November 30th

The City of Olympia and the Thurston County Housing Authority asked people to tell them about the barriers and discrimination they’ve faced in finding housing. And more than 500 people have already shared their experience Fair Housing survey on the Engage Olympia website.

The survey was originally set to close on November 20, but has been extended to November 30 to allow more people to share their stories. Survey data will help prioritize funding for future housing projects.

Thurston County has a homeownership gap of 2,866 households. This means almost 3,000 black, indigenous and colored families need to become home owners in order to close the gap. Still, according to September’s Home Ownership Disparity Report, Thurston County is faring better than surrounding counties.

Federal and state fair housing laws protect people from discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, and other characteristics. A. was established in the city tenant protection web pageand Fair Housing Center of Washington and Northwest Justice Project there is also information about available protections.

“If you have had experience or serve our communities in ways that have allowed you to witness the experience, we especially value your perspective,” Olympia Housing Program Specialist Krista Lensen said in a city news release. “Your feedback can help shape long-term efforts, though we’ve also included resources to help someone facing a more immediate situation.”