Fair Housing
Every April is Fair Housing Month. This year,
2012, marks the 44th anniversaryof the passage of Title VIII
of the Civil Rights Act. The Act outlaws discrimination in the
sale, rental or financing of housing because of race, color,
familial status, religion, sex, physical/mental disability, marital
status or national origin. In April 1968, during the aftermath of
the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., President Johnson
moved for passage of the Fair Housing Act to bring the nation
forward and together. Every April, the nation celebrates the
strides we've made, and the work that remains to be done.
The Fair Housing Act reflects Americans willingness and
determination to ensure proper housing and services exist to all,
through all stages of one's life, so they can remain in the
community as they age. It also enforces housing opportunities and
supportive services for those who have mobility or sensory
impairment, developmental or emotional disabilities, or mental
illness. It enables low income working families to compete in the
housing market and provides affordable housing to rent or buy.
Fair housing initiatives by the U. S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD) include expanding its efforts to work with
states and local communities to reinforce a federal requirement
that they promote diverse, inclusive housing opportunities when
spending federal funds. For the first time ever, HUD is examining
the prevalence of housing discrimination based on sexual
orientation and gender identity and discrimination based on a
tenant's use of government assistance to pay rent. Most agree
discrimination in housing is much subtler today than in decades
past, but it does
LACCA Fair Housing Public Service Announcements
Lima Allen Council on Community Affairs (LACCA) created four
public service annoucements (PSA) to raise awareness within the
community about the faces of housing discrimination.
Click on the links below to view each PSA. Each house
below is a link to a differenct PSA!
The
Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC) enforces state
laws against discrimination. Learn how to recognize and
report signs of discriminatory treatment with the OCRC's
Fair Housing Guide, or by contacting Veronica
McLaurine Director of Housing Services at LACCA (419) 227-0158 ext
139 vmclaurine@lacca.org
Neighborhoods
There are various reasons for local communities to document and
assess the extent and quality of their neighborhoods. First and
foremost, such planning activities are useful for documenting and
assessing a community's ability to provide its residents with a
safe and healthy environment in which to live. Documentation
of the neighborhood environment is used to assess whether it
promotes the well-being, safety, and security of its occupants,
including its residents and their visitors, businesses and their
customers, and the passerby's from within the larger community.
Such an effort requires an analysis of the environment which
documents the range of housing alternatives, available economic
opportunities, and to the extent feasible, the social, cultural,
educational, and recreational activities present and/or that need
to be fostered or pursued.
Secondly, such documentation enables political subdivisions to
critically evaluate the conditions in order to efficiently utilize
the limited resources locally available and allows them to develop
warranted plans, programs, and capital improvement schedules.
Documentation prompts local community leaders to assess
redevelopment activities. In addition, the community
needs to define its financial ability to provide the necessary
infrastructure to support and/or bolster a neighborhood's existing
and future housing/employment alternatives, its social, cultural,
and/or recreational opportunities. In times of fiscal
constraints and ever-competing demands on fiscal resources, such
studies can help justify the technical and financial support
necessary to accomplish specific programs or projects.
Finally, documentation provides for open communication and
furthers dialogue between neighborhood residents, businesses and
community leaders, establishing the basis for discussion and can
assist local governments and community groups in developing
appropriate and mutually agreed upon plans, programs and proposals.
Neighborhood based studies can provide the technical basis from
which partnerships can develop between local governments and
concerned citizens groups. With all of this in mind Lima-Allen
County Regional Planning has prepared the following neighborhood
reports:
SUSTAINABLE ALLEN COUNTY
TOPIC CENTER