The Fair Housing Council and the Fair Employment Council merged in 1999 to form the Equal Rights Center (ERC), and expanded the organization’s scope to include equal access to public accommodations. In 2005, the ERC merged with the Disability Rights Council, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to combating disability-based discrimination. Since then, the ERC has used civil rights testing to identify and eliminate unlawful and unfair discrimination in its home community of Greater Washington, D.C. and nationwide. As a result of ERC actions, tens of thousands of housing units have been made accessible for people with disabilities, hundreds of properties have revised their policies to comply with fair housing laws, dozens of employers have been exposed for unequal hiring practices, and countless business have made changes to better accommodate customers with disabilities.
Equal Rights Center
