Once again this year, Veterans Day has a more personal and immediate meaning for America. On November 11th, we can take even greater pride in the men and women of America's military services. Stationed throughout the nation and around the world, their mission is to defeat terrorism and protect our lives and our liberty. Far from family, friends, and the comforts of home, these patriots have earned our gratitude and deserve our prayers.

The freedoms we enjoy are ours in large part because of sacrifices made throughout our history by America's military veterans. There are 25 million veterans of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard across the nation today - and I am proud that throughout the Department, more than 1,500 men and women continue to serve their nation through the reserves or National Guard.

Throughout the world, America is known as the land of liberty. On Veterans Day we are reminded that our nation is "the land of the free" because America also has been "the home of the brave." Because of the courage and sacrifice of our military veterans and the men and women who serve today, every American has a chance to live the American Dream. This Veterans Day, may God bless all of those who have served our country so well, and may God bless the United States of America.

Anyone who is a veteran, or has a family member who is a veteran or serving on active duty, is encouraged to visit the HUD Veteran Resource Center web site or call HUDVET toll free at (800) 998-9999 [TDD: (800) 483-2209]

 Back to Top  

A new HUD study released on Wednesday, Discrimination in Metropolitan Housing Markets: Phase I, shows that housing discrimination nationwide against African Americans and Hispanics looking to buy a home is down more than 25 percent since 1989. For those seeking to rent a unit, housing discrimination against African Americans is down 18 percent, but is unchanged for Hispanics.

"These results illustrate that we are making efforts but there is still work to be done," said Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel Martinez. "Every American should have equal access to housing opportunities."

"The downward trend reflected in the study and a more targeted education and enforcement effort on our behalf will help us to achieve the President's goal of 5.5 million new minority homeowners by the end of the decade," added Martinez. "The increased homeownership rates for African Americans and Hispanics in the third quarter of 2002 reflect that we are knocking down barriers and opening doors for more minorities."

The study is the most ambitious effort to date to measure the extent of housing discrimination in the United States against persons because of their race or ethnicity. Conducted by The Urban Institute, this is the third nationwide effort sponsored by HUD to measure the amount of discrimination faced by minority home seekers. The previous studies were conducted in 1977 and 1989.

HUD will use the research to document the nation's progress in reducing housing discrimination, but also to better target education and enforcement resources. Since 1989, HUD has been competitively awarding grants to public and private fair housing groups as well as to state and local agencies under the Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP). Groups use the money to educate the public and housing industry about discrimination laws, to promote fair housing, and to investigate allegations of housing discrimination. Initially funded at $5 million, HUD this year is awarding $20 million in FHIP grants.

Read the full news release.

Review findings in selected metropolitan areas (www.huduser.org/publications/hsgfin/MSA_Summaries.htm).