This month, states and communities throughout the country are celebrating Fair Housing Month, and the basic, guiding American principle of equal opportunity that the historic Fair Housing Act represents.

As Secretary Martinez said in his 2002 Fair Housing Month message, "The Fair Housing Act and important amendments over the years have a simple premise: no one should be denied the opportunity to rent or buy a home because of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, family status, or disability. Equal opportunity is the American way, and that's why we celebrate April as Fair Housing Month."

In Kentucky, Governor Paul Patton signed a proclamation declaring April as Fair Housing Month throughout the Commonwealth.

Joining the Governor in the Rotunda of the State Capitol in Frankfort for the April 4th signing were HUD Kentucky Office Director Ben Cook, FHEO's Kentucky Program Center Director Sue Darling, and representatives of the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights, Kentucky Housing Corporation, and the Kentucky Department for Local Governments. All three agencies use HUD programs including Fair Housing Assistance, HOME, Emergency Shelter Grants, the Community Development Block Grant program and others.

In West Central Florida, local communities and Tampa HUD staff began the month with a full week of activities. The City of Tampa kicked off its Fair Housing Month activities on April 2nd at the Sixth Annual Downtown Forum, sponsored by the Downtown Tampa Partnership. Held at the Tampa Convention Center, the Forum gave HUD staff the opportunity to reach out to hundreds of attendees from the downtown Tampa community.

On April 3rd, a half-day Migrant Service Providers Fair Housing Workshop brought HUD staff together with leaders of local FHAPs (Fair Housing Assistance Programs) and FHIPs (Fair Housing Initiative Programs) on the campus of the University of South Florida. The bilingual event was designed for service providers who work with farm workers and rural communities and attracted more than 50 participants. The group heard from Chris Talcott (above), a Migrant Farm Worker Program Specialist with the Secretary's Colonias and Migrant Farm Worker Initiative who is based in HUD's Miami Office.

Tampa HUD's Karen Jackson Sims, Manatee County Commissioner Gwendolyn Brown, and Ms. Tapscott.

Candace Tapscott, HUD's Director of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity for the Miami Program Center, was the featured speaker at an April 4th Fair Housing Luncheon sponsored by the Manatee Coalition for Affordable Housing and the Manatee County Community Services Department. More than 150 community, civic, and faith-based leaders took part in the Fair Housing Month luncheon, and Tampa HUD provided display materials and answered Fair Housing and program inquiries from participants.

The first week's activities in West Central Florida wrapped up on Saturday, April 6th with an Affordable and Fair Housing Forum. Sponsored by the City of Tampa and the Hillsborough Urban League, the event included work sessions in both English and in Spanish. Tampa HUD also reported that local governments in all twelve counties in their jurisdiction have issued or plan to issue proclamations in honor of Fair Housing Month.

Kentucky and Florida communities will continue to celebrate the Fair Housing Act throughout April, but as Secretary Martinez said: "President Bush and I encourage every American to recognize and support the simple premise of the Fair Housing Act not just this month, but every day of the year."