The Cavalier daily. :: Thursday, April 3, 1969 :: University of Virginia Library

Supporters of the Fair Housing
Ordinance will gather at the Charlottesville
City Council Meeting
next Monday, April 7, at 7:30 p.m.
to support the ordinance which is
scheduled to come before the city
council later that night.

"Revised Ordinance"

Sponsored by the Charlottesville-Albermarle
Fair Housing Committee,
this ordinance is a revised
edition of one presented to the
council previously. Tom Joseph,
chairman of the committee has
urged all concerned individuals, to
exhibit their support of the ordinance
by attending the City Council
Meeting and the rally directly
before the meeting.

The rally will be at Holy
Comforter Church, 3rd and Jefferson
Streets, at 6:30.

According to a member of the
committee, Charlottesville has no
fair housing laws at present. Only
city codes and ordinances are
present to protect the community
from discrimination.

"Housing Shortage"

With the acute shortage of low
cost housing in Charlottesville at
present, additional housing and
prevention of discrimination have
become important issues in the
community. On Page Street, thirteen
families have been evicted
from their homes which were
condemned for not having hot and
cold water, nor heating and
plumbing fixtures.

John Lowe, a University law
student working on behalf of the
residents, said that "some houses in
the area have dirt floors. As the
substandard living quarters are
condemned by the city, residents
must find other places to live," he
said.

"End Discrimination"

Similar to the National Fair
Housing Act, the motion being
presented to the City Council calls
for an end to discrimination based
on race, color, religion, ancestry, or
national origin. The proposed
ordinance covers discrimination in
the selling, leasing, transferring, and
subleasing of all area housing. It
also prohibits discrimination in
multiple-listing services and in
lending institutions.

Housing Board

The proposal calls for a Fair
Housing Board to receive and judge
complaints of violations of this
plan. The board would have nine
members appointed by the City
Council with the power of judging
allegations of unfair housing practices.

If the proposed board determines
that the complaint lacks
reasonable grounds upon which to
base a violation, the complainant is
free to ask for a review hearing.

If the board determines that
there is a reasonable cause to
believe a violation has been committed,
a public hearing will follow.

The powers of the board in cases
of guilt are to require the person or
firm to cease and desist from their
unlawful practices and to certify to
the City Attorney to bring action
necessary to enforce the order.

According to the proposed
ordinance "Any person who shall
be found by the board to have
committed a violation of any of the
provisions of this ordinance relating
to discriminatory practices shall be
subject to injunctive and other
appropriate action or proceeding to
correct any violation of this Ordinance."

Curb Discrimination

With such provisions, the members
of the Fair Housing Committee
hope to curb any and all discriminatory
practices which are used in this
area.

The committee is hoping for a
large turnout from the University
community at both the rally and
the City Council Meeting. A large
turnout is needed to show the
Council that the people of
Charlottesville want this Fair Housing
proposal to be law, said
one member of the Fair Housing
Committee.