[Durham INC] Durham Celebrates Fair Housing Month in April

Tue Mar 27 12:46:29 EDT 2012

CITY OF DURHAM

Office of Public Affairs

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

News Release

News Media Contact:

Amy Blalock

Sr. Public Affairs Specialist

(919) 560-4123 x 11253

(919) 475-7735 (cell)

Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov

For Immediate Release:  March 27, 2012

Durham Celebrates Fair Housing Month

Multiple Events Throughout April Are Free and Open to the Public

DURHAM, N.C. - In April, residents and property owners interested in
learning how to help create equal housing opportunity in every community
of Durham should mark their calendars now for several events planned to
celebrate Fair Housing Month.

The Human Relations Division of the City's Neighborhood Improvement
Services Department and the City's Community Development Department will
co-host the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Seminar on
Wednesday, April 4, 2012, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Golden Belt
Building, located at 807 E. Main St., 3rd Floor, Durham. The free
seminar will include a presentation by Jack Holtzman, project director
of the Fair Housing Project with Legal Aid of North Carolina. Topics to
be covered include defining AFFH, what local governments must do to meet
their obligations, what other entities must meet these requirements, and
the consequences of failing to meet AFFH requirements. This seminar is
tailored for government employees, community/economic development
professionals, recipients of federal funding, affordable housing
developers, and housing advocates. An R.S.V.P. is requested by Friday,
March 30, 2012, to Juanita.English at DurhamNC.gov or by calling (919)
560-1647, ext. 34279.

Other events in honor of Fair Housing Month will also include a Landlord
Fair Housing Training Workshop on Thursday, April 26, 2012, from 9 a.m.
to 11:30 a.m. in the Golden Belt Building, located at 807 E. Main St.,
3rd Floor, Durham. This free workshop is specifically designed to assist
landlords, property managers, resident managers, and any others who are
actively involved in managing rental housing. The workshop will
demonstrate effective fair housing management practices and will cover
applicant screening techniques; rental agreements; the eviction process;
and how to achieve a stable, satisfied tenant base. Training will be
provided by the City's Human Relations Division and Legal Aid of Durham.
An R.S.V.P. is requested by April 23, 2012. To register, email 
Juanita.English at DurhamNC.gov or call (919) 560-1647, ext. 34279.

The final public event in honor of Fair Housing Month is El Centro's
Open House Tour, entitled "Fair Housing Opens Doors," which will take
place on Saturday, April 28, 2012, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at El Centro,
located at 201 W. Main St., Durham. This free event will provide
bilingual fair housing training at 11:30 a.m. by the City's Human
Relations Division, which is certified by the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development to provide this service as well as fair housing
education, training, and outreach. This division enforces the federal
Fair Housing Act and the City of Durham Fair Housing Ordinance and
accepts complaints from people who allege that they have been
discriminated against in the sale or rental of housing by rental
managers, property owners, real estate agents, landlords, banks,
developers, builders, and individual homeowners. Attendees at this event
are invited to take a tour of the facility and also learn about El
Centro's programs, which include education, health, support services,
and community organizing. No R.S.V.P. is required. Questions regarding
the open house tour should be directed to Julio Olmos with El Centro at
(919) 687-4635, ext. 30.

For more information about Fair Housing Month activities and events,
contact Human Relations Division Manager Delilah Donaldson with the
City's Neighborhood Improvement Services Department at (919) 560-4107,
ext. 34277 or by email at Delilah.Donaldson at DurhamNC.gov. 

About the Neighborhood Improvement Services Department

The Neighborhood Improvement Services Department works to preserve and
improve quality of life conditions for Durham residents, and to
encourage active participation in neighborhood redevelopment and public
policy and decision making dialogue. The department is responsible for
enforcement of quality of life ordinances and state statutes including
the City's Minimum Housing Code; Nonresidential Code; Weedy Lot,
Abandoned and Junk Vehicle ordinances; and the State of North Carolina's
Unsafe Building Statute. The department's rapid responders, known as the
Impact Team, remediate non-compliant housing properties; abate public
nuisances, such as litter, graffiti, illegal dumping, and abandoned
shopping carts; and conduct neighborhood service projects. The
department's Community Engagement staff provides outreach and education
to Durham residents and community organizations. Guided by the City's
Strategic Plan, the department helps ensure that Durham has thriving,
livable neighborhoods by providing the highest quality of services to
engage and educate the community, eradicate blight, ensure safer
neighborhoods, and enhance neighborhood revitalization. For more
information, visit http://DurhamNC.gov/ich/cb/nis/Pages/Home.aspx. 

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