Santa Monica City Attorney Announces Fair Housing Month Campaign
April 13, 2016 12:00 AM
The Santa Monica City Attorney's Consumer Protection Division has announced a comprehensive campaign for the month of April to improve community awareness of the fair housing laws and to help eliminate housing discrimination in the City. April is National Fair Housing Month and 2016 is the 48th Anniversary of the 1968 Fair Housing Act.
The City's fair housing awareness campaign includes the following:
Fair Housing Poster Contest: More than 130 elementary and junior high students from Santa Monica participated in the City's annual Fair Housing Poster Contest this year, creating dynamic posters that feature the 2016 theme Fair Housing Changes Lives. A panel of seven judges had the tough but enjoyable task of selecting seven finalists. The finalists' posters will be on display in the lobby of City Hall during the week of April 18. Four of the posters will also be published as calendars for 2017 and will be part of the City's fair housing ad campaign.
People's Choice Award: On Monday, April 18, the students, teachers, parents and general public are welcome to come view the seven posters from 9 am to noon and 3 pm to 5 pm in City Hall, and cast their votes for the People's Choice Award.
Fair Housing Ad Campaign: The City will run a community awareness ad in the Santa Monica Daily Press at least twice in April. The ad will feature the poster created by Justin Smith, a fourth-grade student from Saint Anne School.
Fair Housing Workshop: The City's Attorney's Office is sponsoring a fair housing workshop on rental issues on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 from 9 am to 12:30 pm (8:30 am check-in) at the Santa Monica Main Library (601 Santa Monica Boulevard). The workshop will explain the laws that prohibit housing discrimination. There will also be a panel on disability issues in rental housing. The presenters include Susie Lein, a partner from the law firm of Kimball, Tirey, & St. John; Chancela Al Mansour, Executive Director of the Housing Rights Center; Denise McGranahan, Senior Staff Attorney at Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles; Peter DeMieri, Housing Project Manager, Westside Center of Independent Living, and Gary Rhoades, Deputy City Attorney, City of Santa Monica.
All owners, property managers, tenants, advocates, and attorneys are invited to RSVP and attend free of charge. An application requesting MCLE credit for this activity is pending for approval by the State Bar of California. A continental breakfast will be provided and library parking will be validated. Please reserve your spot before April 20 here or at smconsumer.org.
Spaces are filling up fast so early registration is recommended.
Media Contact
Gary Rhoades
Deputy City Attorney
Gary.Rhoades@SMGOV.NET