Committees, Programs and Cases, 1962-1987 and undated

This series consists of files relating to the various committees, programs, and cases that were part of Suburban Maryland Fair Housing, Inc.’s effort to promote fair housing in Montgomery County, Maryland. Holdings include project reports, correspondence, program flyers, policy statements, surveys, work plans, real estate ads, and news clippings from each of the program committees that were established during the existence of SMFH. The program committees represented in this series include the Housing Information Services (HIS) Committee; the Community Action Committee; the Community Relations Committee; the Testing Committee; the State Government Affairs Committee; the Program-Education Committee; and the Compliance Committee. Each of these committees was charged with dealing with one or more aspects of fair housing (e.g., testing for discrimination; conducting housing market surveys; promoting public awareness of fair housing; or ensuring compliance with fair housing laws).

Series 6 also contains files regarding SMFH’s involvement in controversial cases that emerged during the years of the organization’s existence. Two such cases were the Watkins Glen Project case and the Falkland Apartments case. In each of these instances Suburban Maryland Fair Housing Inc. joined forces with other area civic groups to promote the development of housing for lower-income residents in Montgomery County. The files on controversial cases include correspondence, news clippings, testimony, and press releases.

Summaries of SMFH committees, programs, and cases are included in SMFH annual reports and monthly newsletters in Series 1 and 2.