Mayor Joe Gibbons and City Council proclaimed April 2023 to be Fair Housing Month in Lenoir. Mayor Gibbons presented the proclamation to Lauren Hart, a member of Catawba Valley Association of Realtors, on Tuesday, April 4, 2023.
"I just want to say, on behalf of the Catawba Valley Association of Realtors, that we appreciate your continued commitment to fair housing," Hart said. "For so many, it means reduced barriers to homeownership which is life altering. So, thank you."
On April 11, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which was meant as a follow-up to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The 1968 Act expanded on previous acts and prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, sex, (and as amended) handicap and family status. Title VIII of the Act is also known as the Fair Housing Act (of 1968).
The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity ensures that that laws related to the Fair Housing Act are followed. FHEO works to eliminate housing discrimination, promote economic opportunity, and achieve diverse, inclusive communities by leading the nation in the enforcement, administration, development, and public understanding of federal fair housing policies and laws. Click the following link to learn more about Fair Housing, https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/.
First-Time Homebuyer Assistance
Did you know that down payment assistance is available to first-time home buyers in Lenoir and Caldwell County through the Unifour Consortium First-Time Homebuyer Assistance Program? Eligible first time homebuyers could receive up to $30,000 toward a down payment on their first home. Click the following link for more information about the program, wpcog.org/unifour-consortium-homebuyer.
PROCLAMATION FAIR HOUSING MONTH
WHEREAS, April 11, 2023, marks the 55th anniversary of the passage of the U.S. Fair Housing Law, Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended, which enunciates a national policy of Fair Housing without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, sex, familial status, and handicap, and encourages fair housing opportunities for all citizens; and
WHEREAS, the Catawba Valley Association of Realtors is committed to highlighting the Fair Housing Law, Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, by continuing to address discrimination in our community, supporting programs that will educate the public about the right to equal housing opportunities, and planning partnership efforts with other organizations to help assure every American of their right to fair housing.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Joseph L. Gibbons, Mayor of the City of Lenoir, North Carolina, and on behalf of the Lenoir City Council, do hereby resolve that April 2023, being Fair Housing Month, begins a year-long commemoration of the U.S. Fair Housing Law in the City of Lenoir and urge all citizens to wholeheartedly recognize this celebration throughout the year.
Adopted this the 4th day of April 2023.
Joseph L. Gibbons, Mayor
Mayor Joe Gibbons presented the 2023 Fair Housing Month Proclamation to Lauren Hart, Catawba Valley Association of Realtors, Tuesday night, April 4, 2023. Pictured from left: City Manager Scott Hildebran, Mayor Pro Tem Crissy Thomas, Councilman Ralph Prestwood, Mayor Gibbons, Councilman Kent Greer, Lauren Hart, Councilman Ike Perkins, and Councilman Jonathan Beal.
First-time home buyers in Lenoir and Caldwell County may be eligible for down-payment assistance through the Unifour Consortium First-Time Homebuyer Assistance Program. Click the following link for more information about the program, wpcog.org/unifour-consortium-homebuyer.