Whereas, April 11, 2005, marks the anniversary of the passage of the U.S. Fair Housing Law, Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended, which enunciated a national policy of Fair Housing without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status or disability and encourages fair housing opportunities for all citizens; and,

Whereas, Michigan’s Fair Housing Act of 1968 and the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act of 1977 further deem it unlawful to discriminate based on age or marital status in our great state; and,

Whereas, Equal opportunity in housing can best be accomplished through leadership, example, education and the mutual cooperation of all those affiliated with the real estate industry and the public; and,

Whereas, The State of Michigan and the Michigan Association of REALTORS® are committed, under the “Welcome Home” effort, to highlight the Fair Housing Law by continuing to address discrimination in our communities, educating the public about their right to equal housing opportunities and encouraging partnership efforts among organizations to help assure every American of their right to fair housing; and,

Whereas, Fair Housing Month in Michigan is the celebration of the laws and efforts of its citizens to remove impediments to equal housing opportunities, and to emphasize and ensure the rights of all citizens in continued freedom of choice in housing and private property ownership; and now therefore be it,

Resolved, That I, Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor of the State of Michigan, do hereby proclaim April 2005, as Fair Housing Month in Michigan.