OSWEGO COUNTY – Oswego County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup, District 9, recently signed a proclamation designating April as Fair Housing Month. The designation promotes public awareness about fair housing rights.

This year marks the 53rd anniversary of the Fair Housing Act signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The Act prohibits housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, family status and nation of origin.

The Oswego County Housing Office usually holds a coloring contest for county school children to mark the occasion. Their entries were displayed in the office and winners were awarded prizes and shown at the Oswego County Fair.

“We had to cancel the event again this year due the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Oswego County Fair Housing Officer Scott Smith, coordinator for the Oswego County Housing Assistance Program. “We’re now looking toward 2022 and planning an activity for kids that will get them thinking about what fair treatment looks like when it comes to housing.”

The Oswego County Legislature established the Fair Housing Council in 1990 and appointed a Fair Housing Officer to ensure safe, sanitary and affordable housing opportunities for all county residents. The County prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, age, sex, marital status or familial status in the sale, rental or advertisement of housing, in the provision of brokerage services, or in the availability of residential real estate-related transactions.