COLUMBUS – April 4, 2012 – (RealEstateRama) — The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) joins Ohio Governor John Kasich and affordable housing leaders in observing April as Fair Housing Month. This year marks the 44th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act which provides housing opportunities for all regardless of race, color, nationality, familial and military status, disability or ancestry.
“The Ohio Housing Finance Agency is proud to join Governor Kasich in celebrating Fair Housing Month,” said Doug Garver, Executive Director for the Agency. “OHFA serves as an advocate for fair housing and remains committed to providing equal access to affordable, safe and decent housing in the state of Ohio.”
The Fair Housing Act applies to housing and housing-related activities, including apartment and home rentals, real estate sales, mortgage lending, and homeowners insurance. Some examples of activities considered illegal under the Act include:
- Refusal to rent or sell housing;
- Refusal to negotiate for housing;
- Setting different terms, conditions or privileges for sale or rental of a property;
- For a profit, persuading owners to sell or rent their home; and
- Advertising or making any statement that indicates a limitation or preference based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or handicap.
As the state’s affordable housing leader, OHFA provides affordable housing options through a variety of programs for all Ohioans, including renters and homebuyers. The Agency’s First-Time Homebuyer Program offers a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage for Ohioans who may not otherwise qualify for homeownership. OHFA also provides rental options for Ohioans through the development of more than 87,000 affordable rental housing units throughout the state.
For more information on OHFA and its programs, visit www.ohiohome.org or call 888.362.6432. View Governor Kasich’s Fair Housing Month proclamation online at http://www.ohiohome.org/fairhousingmonth.aspx.
About the Ohio Housing Finance Agency
OHFA is a self-supporting quasi-public agency governed by an eleven-member board. The Agency uses federal and state resources to provide housing opportunities for families and individuals through programs designed to develop, preserve and sustain affordable housing throughout the State of Ohio. OHFA is also the administrator of the state’s foreclosure prevention program, Restoring Stability: A Save the Dream Ohio Initiative.
Media Contact:
Arlyne Alston
Email: aalston (at) ohiohome (dot) org
Phone: 614.387.2863
