Tell your US Reps to vote NO! on HR 2437 July 15: Attention! To: those concerned about the CIVIL RIGHTS of people with disabilities in Fair Housing! HR 2437 (text below) was introduced July 1, 1999 in the US House of Representatives. This bill would allow owners, developers, architects, designers, and contractors an excuse for failing to comply with the Accessibility Guidelines of the Federal Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, if they were approved by the local building code officials. This alleged "Justice" in Fair Housing Enforcement Act is an affront to the Federal housing rights that people with disabilities have fought for! Having served on the Building Construction Codes Commission in Columbia, Missouri for two years (1995-97), I know firsthand how long it takes to bring local codes into substantial equivalency with the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 Accessibility Guidelines (FHAAAG). After six months of code review, it was still not until 1997 that Columbia's building codes came anywhere near substantial equivalency with the FHAAAG requirements. Almost all newly constructed apartment buildings with four or more units, ready for first occupancy after March 13, 1991, MUST comply with the seven design requirements of the FHAAAG. Fair Housing testing in Lawrence, KS; Kansas City and Columbia, MO have shown about 70-80% violations of FHAAAG requirements in newly constructed apartment buildings with four or more units. This bill is not only dangerous to the hard-won housing rights of people with disabilities, but would set a slippery-slope precedent that would extend to other Federal Civil Rights laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). How many newly constructed public accommodations have claimed ignorance when they have built in violation of ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG), but the local building codes officials had approved it?! Owners, architects, developers, designers, and contractors have a RESPONSIBILITY to comply with ALL applicable laws: local, state, and FEDERAL! As my junior high history teacher always said, "Ignorance of the law is NO excuse." Contact your US Representative and tell them to vote NO! on HR 2437!!! STOP SEGREGATED HOUSING! INTEGRATION NOW! Heather De Mian Missouri Disability Rights Action Coalition for Housing c/o TWP 301 East Armour Blvd., Ste 430 Kansas City, Missouri 64111 (816) 753-8163 FAX [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Justice in Fair Housing Enforcement Act of 1999 (Introduced in the House) HR 2437 IH 106th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2437 To provide an exception from the enforcement of an accessibility construction requirement of the Fair Housing Act for certain buildings constructed in compliance with a local building code. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 1, 1999 Mr. JONES of North Carolina introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A BILL To provide an exception from the enforcement of an accessibility construction requirement of the Fair Housing Act for certain buildings constructed in compliance with a local building code. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the `Justice in Fair Housing Enforcement Act of 1999'. SEC. 2. EXCEPTION FROM ENFORCEMENT OF CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENT. The requirement of section 804(f)(3)(C) of the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3604(f)(3)(C)) shall not apply with respect to any building that-- (1) was designed for first occupancy during the period beginning March 13, 1991 and ending on the date of the enactment of this Act; and (2) received a building permit or other similar approval from the relevant State or local building authorities as meeting the requirements of the applicable building code.