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Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the ADA
The City of Portland’s Office of Equity and Human Rights and the Portland Commission on Disability (PCOD) are hosting a series of events celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability and imposes accessibility and reasonable accommodation requirements on many employers and businesses.
There are three main events:
- ADA 25th Anniversary Kick-Off Event, Monday, June 29, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. City Hall Atrium, 1221 SW 4th Ave. Opening Ceremony of the Disability History Exhibit, “Advocating Change Together” ASL & descriptive interpretation provided. The exhibit will be on display through July 8, 2015. To view it online, please visit: http://dhss.alaska.gov/gcdse/Pages/history/index.aspx For details, contact Tatiana Elejalde, Disability Equity Program Coordinator, at 503-823-4432 or tatiana.elejalde@portlandoregon.gov
- Portland State University ADA 25th Anniversary, Tuesday, July 21, 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. PSU Park Blocks, SW Park Ave. between SW Harrison & Montgomery Street
- ADA 25th Anniversary Celebration, Sunday, July 26, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. IRCO (Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization), 10301 NE Glisan St. The event theme is “Sharing our Histories, Dreaming our Future.” Please join us as we look at the beginning of the Disability Rights movement, celebrate our successes, and reflect on the road ahead. For questions on how to participate, volunteer, or sponsor, contact Phillip Hillaire, 25th ADA Event Coordinator, at 503-823-5146
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PMAR Presents The Accessible Home
FHCO Director Pegge McGuire will be participating on a Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors® (PMAR) panel on “The Accessible Home” on Wednesday, June 24 from 9:00 to 12:00 at George Fox University’s Portland Campus. The panel will include the following participants:
- Kip Johnson, The Jones Group: A day in the life of a Realtor® with a physical disability
- Lane Mueller, Keller Williams: Why do you need to know about accessibility and visitability issues?
- Lesley Walker, NAR General Counsel: How does the ADA affect your business? What about your home office?
- Pegge McGuire, Executive Director, Fair Housing Council of Oregon: What legal rights do those with disabilities have under the Fair Housing Act?
- Kathie Snow, Keynote Speaker: Kathie advocates that those with disabilities are more like people without disabilities than not. From "people first" language to decoding exactly what accessible and visitable really mean, Kathie draws on 25 years of stories, experiences and knowledge.
The cost for the seminar: PMAR Members: $22 Non-Members: $32
To register email Brittany Powell Parich brittany@pmar.org or call (503) 459-2169
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Bus Tours
This spring FHCO conducted eight of our historic bus tours, "Fasten Your Seat Belts… It’s Been a Bumpy Ride," exploring our state’s hidden history of discrimination, segregation and displacement, and how the ghosts of our past continue to challenge us today. Groups taking spring tours included property managers from Multifamily Housing Association; staff and board of United Way of the Columbia-Willamette; Elders in Action; Executives Leading for Equity and Inclusion (through the Nonprofit Association of Oregon); staff and board from NW Housing Alternatives, a nonprofit community development corporation; Washington County governmental and nonprofit staff, and community action agencies from throughout the country participating in a national conference.
The tours were followed by spirited discussions where the participants shared their reactions to the tour, shared their own personal stories and strategized ways their organizations can further fair housing.
FHCO’s bus tours are booked for 2015, but we are scheduling tours for Spring through Fall 2016. For more information, contact Diane Hess, dhess@fhco.org
Photos below: Activists from Elders in Action on FHCO tour. The Portland metro area nonprofit advocates for older adults, provides volunteer opportunities and works to build an age-friendly community
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LEAD-BASED PAINT IN HOMES
Things You Should Know and Things You Must Do:
- Lead poisoning in homes is prevalent due to the use of lead-based paint prior to its ban in 1978. Fortunately, there are steps residents can take to live lead-safe.
- Federal law requires landlords and sellers of pre-1978 homes to disclose hazards that may be present prior to contract and prior to making repairs & renovations.
- Federal law mandates that one must be lead-safe certified to make such repairs and renovations to a home occupied by others.
- Despite the increased risk to unborn babies & small children, it is Illegal to deny housing to families with children even in pre-1978 housing.
For information, lead testing, and other resources contact:
www.leadline.org (503) 988-4000
Anyone can call the Leadline for
information, answers to questions, and free resources.
If you live in a home you believe may have lead hazards,
call to learn about living lead safe.
If you’re hiring a contractor,
inquire about certification requirements and safe work practices.
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Our Intern, Mary Ruiz!
Mary Ruiz is a junior at Mills College with a major in Political, Legal, and Economic Analysis, and a graduate of Tualatin High School. She is passionate about work concerning education, housing/community justice, immigration, and poverty and hopes to dedicate her work to these issues in the future.
When she’s not in school or interning, she enjoys riding her bike, going to concerts, and exploring the Bay Area and Portland with friends.
We are excited to have Mary help us this summer with outreach and fair housing advocacy efforts.
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