Governor Shumlin Declares April as Fair Housing Month

April marks the anniversary of the passage of the Fair Housing Act, Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968. In commemoration of this important anniversary, Governor Shumlin has issued an Executive Order proclaiming April as Fair Housing Month in the State of Vermont. The landmark 1968 legislation provided protection from discrimination in housing choice, an incredibly important expansion of the original Civil Rights Act, which had been signed into law four years prior. While the Federal statute protects against housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status and disability, Vermont has taken further steps to expand this protection to bar discrimination based on sexual orientation, age, marital status, gender identity, and receipt of public assistance. And, recognizing that protecting housing choice for all Vermonters requires there to be housing to choose from, in 2012 legislation was enacted in Vermont that barred land use decisions being made based on the income of prospective tenants. It is through these steps and the continued efforts of organizations across the state that we will continue to work towards ensuring that every Vermonter has the ability to choose where they live, free from illegal discrimination. A copy of the Executive Order can be found on the Governor’s website: http://governor.vermont.gov/sites/governor/files/proclamations/16-035%20Fair%20Housing%20Month.pdf

#FairHousing