National Fair Housing Month, 2003

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 7664 of April 15, 2003

National Fair Housing Month, 2003

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

The Fair Housing Act was signed on April 11, 1968, just
one week after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. This landmark bill, Title VIII of the Civil
Rights Act of 1968, resulted from the hard work and
leadership of Dr. King and others in the civil rights
movement and was an important step toward confronting
discrimination against minorities in housing. As we
celebrate the 35th anniversary of this historic
legislation, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring
that all Americans have equal access to housing.

The Fair Housing Act of 1968 has helped open doors of
opportunity for countless families. Since its passage,
America has made significant progress in achieving
equal housing access for all individuals.

Despite this progress, more work remains in our
struggle to achieve equality and racial justice.
Prejudice and discriminatory practices in housing still
exist in America. A recent lending study showed that
minorities continue to receive less information, less
assistance, and less favorable terms and conditions
than non-minorities while applying for home loans.
These practices are wrong. As a Nation, and as
individuals, we must be vigilant in responding to
discrimination wherever we find it and ensuring that
minority families have access to housing. With my
minority homeownership initiative and its partnership
with the private sector, I have set a goal to increase
the number of minority homeowners by 5.5 million by
2010.

All Americans should know their housing rights, and the
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is
working to increase public awareness of fair housing
laws, including those combating discrimination in
mortgage lending. The 2004 budget request for HUD
includes $50 million for fair housing--a 9 percent
increase over 2003 funding--with a substantial portion
specifically allocated for increased education and
outreach efforts. The Department is also collaborating
with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation on a
financial education program in minority neighborhoods.
In addition, the HUD, Education, and the Treasury
Departments are advancing initiatives to educate
families about homeownership through counseling
programs and financial literacy efforts.

We are also vigilantly enforcing fair housing laws,
showing no tolerance for those who discriminate. The
Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at HUD is
working with private industry and fair housing and
community advocates to promote voluntary compliance and
to ensure that consumers are treated in a lawful,
respectful manner. When warranted, the Department of
Justice takes legal action to protect our citizens from
discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or
national origin.

Finally, we are working to increase the supply of
accessible housing for citizens with disabilities. HUD
continues to aggressively enforce the law on behalf of
people with disabilities, and the Department is working
cooperatively with builders, architects, and others to
provide technical assistance to help construct more
handicapped-accessible housing.

Fair Housing Month provides an opportunity to place
special emphasis on our goal to increase homeownership
throughout our country. Together, we can advance toward
a future where all our citizens have access to a key
element of the American Dream--homeownership.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United
States, do hereby proclaim April 2003 as National Fair
Housing Month. I call upon the people of the United
States to learn more about their rights and
responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act and the
roles they can individually and collectively play to
combat housing discrimination.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
fifteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord two
thousand three, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and twenty-seventh.

(Presidential Sig.)B