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OHFA Joins the Nation in Commemorating Fair Housing Month
Special to The Truth
The Ohio
Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) proudly joins the nation in
observing April as Fair Housing Month. OHFA's celebration,
"Justice for All," marks the 46th anniversary of the act,
which provides equal access to affordable housing for all
regardless of race, color, nationality, familial and
military status, disability or ancestry.
"OHFA has advocated for the advancement of equal access to
housing for all Ohio homebuyers and renters for more than 30
years," said OHFA Executive Director Doug Garver. "As the
nation and State of Ohio celebrate Fair Housing Month, it is
important to not only recognize the great strides made in
eradicating housing discrimination, we must also continue
educating Ohioans on their rights."
The Fair Housing Act applies to housing and housing-related
activities, including apartment and home rentals, real
estate sales, mortgage lending and homeowners insurance.
According to the National Fair Housing Alliance, it is
estimated that there are four million fair housing
violations every year. Despite this, most violations are not
reported by renters and homebuyers because they do not know
which activities are considered unlawful discrimination
under the Fair Housing Act or they fear retaliation.
As the state's affordable housing leader, OHFA ensures that
every Ohioan is given the opportunity to obtain safe, decent
and affordable housing through a variety of programs.
Through its First-Time Homebuyer program, the Agency offers
stable financing options for Ohioans with low- to
moderate-incomes. In addition, the Agency has helped to
finance more than 100,000 units of affordable rental housing
across the state.
For more information on OHFA and its programs, visit
www.ohiohome.org or call 888.362.6432. For more information
on the Fair Housing Act, visit
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp. |
