April marks Fair Housing Month in Lenoir

Apr. 5—LENOIR — Mayor Joe Gibbons and the Lenoir City Council proclaimed April 2023 to be Fair Housing Month in Lenoir. 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/.

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. For more information about the program, go to wpcog.org/unifour-consortium-homebuyer.