fair housing act

Hard as it may be to imagine, it was only 55 years ago that a law preventing discrimination against who can live where was officially recognized with the Fair Housing Act. It was established in April 1968.

Genesee County Legislator John Deleo, speaking on behalf of the Legislature to celebrate this feat, shared a little history about the early days of Batavia.

“When I was a kid growing up, I was on the south side. And of course, there used to be a division. Not as bad when I was younger, but my dad and my grandfather would say the railroad tracks were the dividing line in the city of Batavia,” Deleo said during a recent county meeting. “And if you lived on the south side, you stayed on the south side with the Polish and the Italians, and so on, in the north side. And they kind of stayed there.

"But as time has gone on, and due to the Fair Housing Act here, I think it really helped out, I mean, I think we still have a few problems, but we don't tolerate it here in Genesee County. We're all in the ship together.”

Before that piece of legislative action, prospective home-buyers and renters had much less chance of getting into properties and neighborhoods if they weren’t deemed of the right ilk — ethnicity, skin color, or culture. And although that hasn’t gone away, the Fair Housing Act has been one measure to recognize the issue and serve as a legal avenue for folks to lean upon when encountering such issues.

Genesee County officially celebrated the month of April for the establishment of the Fair Housing Act on April 11, 1968. Deleo read the proclamation as follows:

The County of Genesee celebrates the month of April as the anniversary of the establishment of the Fair Housing Act,
enacted on April 11, 1968. This Act outlines a national policy of fair housing for all individuals who live in the United States, and WHEREAS, the Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, sex, disability, religion, family status and national origin, and is committed to recipients of federal funding to affirmatively further Fair Housing in
their communities, and

WHEREAS, the County of Genesee is committed to the mission and intent of Congress to provide fair and equal housing opportunities for all, and WHEREAS, Fair Housing is essential to the ethical commitment of the County and is crucial to serving our community. Now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, the Genesee County Legislature fully embraces fair and equal housing opportunities and promotes an inclusive community devoted to Fair Housing.

Be it further RESOLVED, that the Genesee County Legislature proclaims the month of April 2023 as “Fair Housing Month” advocating for equal housing opportunities for all residents and prospective residents of Genesee County.

Deleo presented a proclamation to Nate Varland of Batavia Housing Authority, which oversees Edward Court, The Pines, The Terraces, and 400 Towers in the City of Batavia.

The Batavia Housing Authority’s board members work every day to “provide high quality, safe, affordable housing here,” Varland said.

Photo of Legislator John Deleo presenting the proclamation to Nate Varland of Batavia Housing Authority during a Genesee County Legislature meeting, by Joanne Beck.

Press release:

The legal rights of people with developmental disabilities who are seeking appropriate housing and some practical techniques to secure it will be explored in a FREE Accessible Housing Education Seminar. It takes place on Monday, Nov. 9, 2015, from 1:30 to 3 p.m., at Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR), 113 Main St. (near Center Street), Suite 5, Batavia.

In addition to explaining the Fair Housing Act and other measures that bar disability-based discrimination, presenters will provide information and resources for navigating a provided regional list of housing options and other opportunities, advocating for reasonable accommodations and environmental modifications, and securing referrals and promising locations.

Housing specialist Robin Arnold-Scott of ILGR, and Todd Vaarwerk, director of Advocacy and Public Policy at Western New York Independent Living, Inc., will make a PowerPoint presentation as part of the seminar.

Anyone who is interested in attending should register by calling Donna at (585) 815-8501, ext. 411; or by e-mail at dbecker@wnyil.org.

“Developmental disabilities” encompasses a number of central nervous system impairments that occur before age 22, including: cerebral palsy; epilepsy; autism; spinal cord injury; traumatic and acquired brain injury; learning disabilities such as dyslexia (reading disabilities), dysgraphia (writing disabilities), and visual tracking disorder; cognitive disabilities, Down Syndrome, and others.

ILGR is an agency dedicated to the mission that people with disabilities deserve true independence and equality, including at the workplace: the right to live their lives as they choose; a philosophy the Agency carries out by providing individuals the skills and resources to do it themselves. ILGR’s services include independent living skills training, advocacy, peer counseling, transportation, Braille transcription, a loan closet of medical equipment, housing assistance, information and referral, and many more.