Objective:  To communicate the basics of housing discrimination and to encourage complaints.

    Strategy & Execution:
When city officials determined previous campaigns involving public service announcements and advertisements were not effective in communicating citizens' rights, a promotional advertising campaign was targeted to area preschool and primary-grade school children through local boys and girls clubs.

The one-year program began in September, and included the distribution of a kit containing promotional products and printed materials carrying out the campaign theme.  Included were crayons, rulers, pencils and a guide to "Safety Basics for Kids Home Alone," all decorated with animal characters. The focal point of the kit was a coloring book which defined housing rights and instructed children to "talk to mom and dad about fair housing."

Community outreach workers and teachers were encouraged to discuss the topic with children, and some participants used role-playing and skits to clarify the message.

    Results:  By January, the city received 33 housing discrimination complaints, twice the number the city had received in all of the previous year, it was reported. A spokesperson for the children's clubs said, "The kits provided a tremendous impact on our children and, I'm certain, their parents."