We provide service to the citizens of South Bend through impartial, unbiased decisions regarding discrimination charges filed with the South Bend Human Rights Commission under the ordinance in areas of employment, housing, public accommodation and education, based on race, religion, color, sex, national origin or ancestry, sexual orientation or gender identity, disability and in housing familial status.
Important News
South Bend Human Rights Commission Scholarship Announcement
Application Opens: December 21, 2025, to February 16, 2026
The South Bend Human Rights Commission is excited to announce the opening of entries for the 35th Fair Housing Human Rights Scholarship. This scholarship is open to all residents of St. Joseph County, including students in elementary school (3rd grade), middle school, high school, and undergraduate colleges.
Scholarship Details: The scholarship aims to promote awareness and understanding of human rights issues. Applicants are encouraged to submit entries in the following categories:
- College (Video) Scholarship: The video should be 1 – 3 minutes. Video Scholarship Winner: $2,000.00
- High School (Essay) Scholarship: The essay should be 500 words. Essay Scholarship Winner: First Place $2,000.00, Second Place $1,500.00
- Middle School (Interview Video) Scholarship: The interview video should be 1-3 minutes. Interview Video Scholarship Winner: $1,000.00 (School Ice Cream Party)
- Elementary School-3rd Grade (Poster). It should be a class project, and the class should vote for one winner to represent the class. Poster Scholarship winner: $1,000.00 (School Pizza Party)
We encourage all eligible students to participate and share their unique perspectives on human rights. This is a wonderful opportunity to contribute to the community and gain recognition for your efforts.
Click here to register for the Scholarship:
https://forms.office.com/r/N6BxdwNDGW?origin=lprLink
For more information, contact Executive Director Katrina Lee @klee@southbendin.gov
* Once a student completes the application, an HRC staff member will email additional information regarding your selection. *
General Inquiries
Complete the General Inquiry Form
By filling out this form, you are only submitting a general inquiry and not filing a charge or making a report.
If you need immediate assistance, please call the Human Rights Commission at 574-235-9355.
Human Rights Commission Events
City Events and Meetings Search and Views Navigation
City Events and Meetings
Human Rights Commission Staff
Esther Akhigbe, Housing Manager
Email: eakhigbe@southbendin.gov
Samillia Williams, Employment Manager
Email: swilliams@southbendin.gov
Tania Pacheco, Investigator ll
Email: tpacheco@southbendin.gov
Jessie Malone, Investigator ll
Email: jmalone@southbendin.gov
Melissa Papp, Investigator ll
Email: mpapp@southbendin.gov
Ana Baca, Intake Coordinator
Email: abaca@southbendin.gov
Nyah Porter, Intake Coordinator
Email: nporter@southbendin.gov
Resources and Past Event Materials
Fair Housing Resources
- Fair Lending Guide – English
- Fair Lending Guide – Spanish
- Fair Housing Booklet – English
- Fair Housing Booklet – Spanish
Fair Housing Tips and Facts
- What is the SBHRC?
- What happens when you file a charge?
- View the life of a housing charge here
- Stay up to date on training!
- What is the Fair Housing Act?
- Prohibited Housing Activities pt. 1
- Prohibited Housing Activities pt. 2
- Prohibited Housing Activities pt. 3
- Prohibited Housing Activities pt. 4
- Who is exempt from the Fair Housing Act?
- Did you know there are two new protected classes covered under the Fair Housing Act?
- Race and Housing
- Sex and Housing
Resources
- American Civil Liberties Union – Indiana
- Chicago HUD Office
- Indiana Legal Services
- Indiana Protection & Advocacy Services – IPAS
- Indianapolis HUD Office
- US Civil Rights Commission
- US Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Volunteer Lawyer Network
- Indiana Consumer Complaint – Indiana Professional Licensing Agency
Indiana Civil Rights Commission
100 N Senate Avenue, #N300
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
Phone: (317) 232-2600
Website: https://www.in.gov/icrc/
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
101 W Ohio Street, Suite 1900
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
Phone: (317) 226-7212
Website: https://www.eeoc.gov/
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Ralph Metcalfe Federal Building
77 W Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, Illinois 60604
Phone: (312) 353-6236
Email: IL_webmanager@hud.gov
Website: https://www.hud.gov/
City of Anderson Department of Human Relations
120 E 8th Street
Anderson, Indiana 46016
Phone: (765) 684-6135
Email: tdixontatum@cityofanderson.com
Website: https://www.cityofanderson.com/165/Human-Relations
Bloomington Human Rights Commission
401 N Morton Street, Suite 220
Bloomington, Indiana 47404
Phone: (812) 349-3429
Email: human.rights@bloomington.in.gov
Website: https://bloomington.in.gov/boards/human-rights
Columbus Human Rights Commission
123 Washington Street, #5
Columbus, Indiana 47201
Phone: (812) 376-2532
Email: https://www.columbus.in.gov/contact/
Website: https://www.columbus.in.gov/human-rights/
Elkhart Human Relations Commission
229 S 2nd Street
Elkhart, Indiana 46516
Phone: (574) 294-5471
Email: humanrelationsmail@coei.org
Evansville-Vanderburgh County Human Relations Commission
Administrative Building
Civic Center, Room 133
Evansville, Indiana 47708
Phone: (812) 436-4933
Email: hrc@evansville.in.gov
Website: https://www.evansvillegov.org/city/department/index.php?structureid=49
Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana
445 N Pennsylvania Street, Suite 811
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
Phone: (317) 644-0673
Email: info@fhcci.org
Website: https://www.fhcci.org/
Fort Wayne Metropolitan Human Relations Commission
2310 Parnell Avenue
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46818
Phone: (260) 427-1146
Email: http://www.fortwaynemetro.org/contact-us/general-inquiries.html
Website: http://www.fortwaynemetro.org/
Gary Human Relations Commission
455 Massachusetts Street
Gary, Indiana 46402
Phone: (219) 883-4151
Website: https://gary.gov/human-relations/
Goshen Community Relations Commission
Phone: (574) 537-3839 x358
Email: communityrelations@goshencity.com
Website: https://goshenindiana.org/crc
Hammond Human Relations Commission
5925 Calumet Avenue #115
Hammond, Indiana 46320
Phone: (219) 853-6502
Email: https://www.gohammond.com/contact-us/
Website: https://www.gohammond.com/departments/human-relations/
Kokomo Human Rights Commission
Phone: (765) 456-7444
Website: https://www.cityofkokomo.org/departments/human_rights_commission.php?fbclid=IwAR1AEih5_TJ_o8NEdWf0niaHVGuL8iJQI5pxpAXLwIPaLObkdRKW-Z1PP7M
Lafayette Human Relations Commission
20 N 6th Street
Lafayette, Indiana 47901
Phone: (765) 807-1090
Email: hrhelpdesk@lafayette.in.gov
Website: https://www.lafayette.in.gov/611/Human-Relations-Commission
Michigan City Human Rights Commission
100 E Michigan Boulevard
Michigan City, Indiana 46360
Phone: (219) 873-1429
Email: tgeorge@emichigancity.com
Website: https://www.emichigancity.com/202/Human-Rights
Muncie Human Rights Commission
City Hall
300 N High Street
Muncie, Indiana 47305
Phone: (765) 747-4854
Email: ythompson@cityofmuncie.com
Website: https://www.cityofmuncie.com/department/index.php?structureid=26
Terre Haute Human Relations
17 Harding Avenue
Terre Haute, Indiana 47807
Phone: (812) 244-5611
Email: HumanRelations@TerreHaute.IN.Gov
Website: https://www.terrehaute.in.gov/departments/human
West Lafayette Human Relations Commission
222 N Chauncey Avenue
West Lafayette, Indiana 47906
Phone: (765) 775-5102
Email: https://www.westlafayette.in.gov/egov/apps/action/center.egov?view=form;page=1;id=122
Website: https://www.westlafayette.in.gov/department/board.php?structureid=54
2024
The 33rd Annual Human Rights Award Luncheon & Fair Housing Workshop 2024
Century Center- South Bend, April 23, 2024
Featuring
Human Rights Workshop Speaker Phillip Shelton, MSED
Director of Fair Housing & Equal Opportunity HUD Indianapolis Field Office
April 23, 2024 | 8:30 AM – 9:45 AM
Human Rights Workshop Speaker Doneisha Posey
Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Black Onyx
April 23, 2024 | 9:45 AM – 11:00 AM
Human Rights Keynote Speaker Karrah Herring
Chief Equity, Inclusion & Opportunity Officer
April 23, 2024 | 11:30 AM
2024 Fair Housing Virtual Workshop – Discrimination Based on Disability
-
-
- Hosted by Aladean DeRose, Attorney at Law and former City of South Bend attorney.
- February 29, 2024 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
-
2023
- Fair Housing Virtual Workshop – Discriminatory Appraisals and Fair Lending
-
- May 18, 2023 – Noon-1pm
-
- The 31st South Bend Human Rights Awards Luncheon and Fair Housing Workshop 2023 –
- April 25th, 2023 – 8:30am-11:15am (Workshop)
- April 25th, 2023 – 11:30am-1:00pm (Luncheon)
- St. Joseph Public Library
- Keynote Speaker:
- Redgina Hill, PhD, Vice President for Inclusion & Equity, Saint Mary’s College
- Fair Housing Virtual Workshop – Discriminatory Appraisals and Fair Lending
-
-
- April 20, 2023 – 2-3pm
-
-
- Fair Housing Virtual Workshop – Discriminatory Appraisals and Fair Lending
-
- April 17, 2023 – Noon -1pm
-
2022
- National Fair Housing Month – Fair Housing Webinar – April 14, 2022 – PowerPoint Presentation
- National Fair Housing Month – Housing Counseling – April 28, 2022 – City of South Bend HUD Housing Counseling Agency (PowerPoint)
2021
- The Fight for Fair Housing: Past, Present, and Future
- Gender Issues in Housing
- PowerPoint Presentation: Gender Issues in Housing_PPT
- Land Contracts
- PowerPoint Presentation: Land Contracts_PPT
- Mishawaka Housing Resources
- Saint Joseph County Housing Resources Webinar
2020
- Introduction to South Bend Human Rights Commission and COVID-19 in Housing and Employment
- COVID-19: Federal Moratorium
- EEOC COVID-19 Update
- COVID-19 HUD
- Indiana Foreclosure Network Program
- Housing Legal Update
- PowerPoint Presentation: Housing Legal Update_English Version | Housing Legal Update_Spanish Version
- Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the ADA
- IHCDA Programming and Indiana Rental Assistance with Indiana State Senator David Niezgodski
- Youth Labor
- LGBTQ Equality with Marjorie W. Schaeffer, Ph.D.
humanrights@southbendin.gov
574-235-9355
574-235-5567
8:00AM to 5:00PM Please call for an appointment.