City of Phoenix Housing Department Marks Fair Housing Month

Theo nguồn tin trên mạng của phoenix.gov April 24, 2014 The city of Phoenix Housing Department joins the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the nation in celebrating National Fair Housing Month. April is designated for everyone to celebrate the anniversary of the passing of the 1968 Fair Housing Act, which was enacted shortly after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, financing and other housing-related transactions based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, familial status or sexual orientation. “This is a month that allows everyone to reflect on the great strides and advancements that have been made in our country, and to focus on future improvements that need to be made toward equal access and the opportunity to qualify for affordable housing regardless of one’s background,” said Councilwoman Kate Gallego, chairwoman of the Neighborhoods, Housing and Development Subcommittee. The Housing Department works to develop and promote open, strong and sustainable communities with a platform free of discrimination. This includes the ability for individuals to improve their quality of life by pursuing their dreams through equal opportunity and housing choices. “Our core values, vision and everything that we do surround fair housing. This means every housing program and service that we offer is open and welcoming to our diverse community. The spirit of this commitment is to the people of our community including future generations,” said Karl Matzinger, city of Phoenix interim Housing director. Discrimination in housing comes in all types and forms and many do not recognize they are subjects of discrimination. According to HUD, 2 million instances of housing discrimination are estimated to take place each year across the nation. Despite this, less than 2 percent of those instances are reported because renters and homebuyers do not fully understand what activities are illegal under the Fair Housing Act. Examples of discrimination under the Fair Housing Act include: Refusal to rent or sell housing Making housing unavailable Setting different terms, conditions or privileges for sale or rental of a property Providing different housing services or facilities Falsely denying housing is available for inspection, sale or rental Persuading owners to sell or rent their home for profit Denying access to, or membership, in a facility or service related to the sale of housing Advertising or making any statement that indicates a limitation or preference based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, familial status or sexual orientation The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity administers federal laws and establishes national policies that make sure all Americans have equal access to housing of their choice. To learn more about the Fair Housing Act, visit hud.gov. To learn more about the city of Phoenix Housing Department programs and services, visit phoenix.gov/housing. Media Contact: Alejandro Montiel 602-534-3443

http://phoenix.gov/news/042414fairhousing.html

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