WHEREAS, April 2007 marks the 39^th anniversary of the passage of Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, commonly known as the Federal Fair Housing Act; and

        WHEREAS, the Idaho Human Rights Commission Act has prohibited discrimination in housing since 1969; and

        WHEREAS, equal opportunity for all – regardless of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin – is a fundamental goal of our nation and state; and

        WHEREAS, equal access to housing is an important component of this goal – as fundamental as the right to equal opportunity in education and employment; and

        WHEREAS, housing is a critical component of family and community health and stability; and

        WHEREAS, housing choice impacts our children’s access to education, our ability to seek and retain employment options, the cultural benefits we enjoy, the extent of our exposure to crime and drugs, and the quality of health care we receive in emergencies; and

        WHEREAS, the laws of this nation and our state seek to ensure such equality of choice for all transactions involving housing; and

        WHEREAS, ongoing education, outreach and monitoring are key to raising awareness of fair housing principals, practices, rights and responsibilities; and

        WHEREAS, only through continued cooperation, commitment and support of all Idahoans can barriers to fair housing be removed;

        NOW, THEREFORE, I, C.L. “BUTCH” OTTER, Governor of the State of Idaho, do hereby proclaim April 2007, to be

F A I R   H O U S I N G   M O N T H

in Idaho.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Idaho at the Capitol in Boise on this 19^th day of March in the year of our Lord two-thousand and seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred thirty-first and of the Statehood of Idaho the one hundred seventeenth.       

BEN YSURSA
SECRETARY OF STATE