Columbus, OH – April 02, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — Governor Ted Strickland today announced a proclamation recognizing April as Fair Housing Month in Ohio. The proclamation is intended to raise awareness about fair housing opportunities throughout the state.
“Fair housing is not only a right of all Americans by law, it is a basic human necessity,” said Strickland. “I urge all citizens, businesses and community leaders to recognize the importance of equal access to housing in order to ensure a better quality of life for all Ohioans.”
On April 11, 2008, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968, also known as the Fair Housing Act. In 1988, the law was expanded to prohibit discrimination in housing based on handicap and familial status, provide for monetary penalties for housing discrimination, and establish design and construction requirements for new multi-family dwellings.
In honor of the enactment of the federal Fair Housing Act, as amended, April is annually declared Fair Housing Month nationally and in Ohio. Fair Housing Month is a time to celebrate the progress made in opening the doors of housing opportunity, regardless of race, color, gender, nationality, religion, familial status, or disability.
The Ohio Department of Development’s Office of Housing and Community Partnerships encourages community leaders to proclaim April as Fair Housing Month in their communities and undertake special efforts to inform the public about their rights under federal, state, and local fair housing laws.
By observing Fair Housing Month, communities can demonstrate a commitment to keeping the doors of equal opportunity open, pledge to vigorously enforce fair housing laws to ensure equal treatment of all Ohioans, take affirmative steps to remedy past discrimination, and provide citizens with the knowledge that all people have a real opportunity to live in decent, affordable housing in their community.
For more information about Fair Housing and Civil Rights in Ohio, visit www.development.ohio.gov.
