Editor, The Beacon:

On April 11, 1968, the Civil Rights Act, also known as the Fair Housing Act, was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, establishing the nation’s obligation to ensure each citizen has access to safe and affordable housing.

Every April, organizations and fair-housing advocates nationwide celebrate the passage of this law by informing citizens of their fair-housing rights, bringing awareness of the need for fair housing and highlighting the importance of ending housing discrimination.

To those who feel they are facing housing discrimination, you are not alone. The Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR), the state agency responsible for enforcing the Florida Fair Housing Act through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, received more than 460 housing-discrimination complaints based on race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, familial status or religion last fiscal year.

Fair housing is a serious matter, and the FCHR is fully committed to ending housing discrimination by aiding those who are discriminated against and educating those who are providing housing and financing.

While the Fair Housing Act enacts rights and remedies, enforcing those rights starts with you. As the vice chair of the FCHR, I encourage anyone facing discrimination in selling, renting or mortgaging a dwelling to report it.

If you have any questions or want to learn more, the FCHR can be contacted at 850-488-7082 or by visiting the website at http://fchr.state.fl.us. Please provide us with the opportunity to assist you.

Angela Primiano

— Primiano is vice chair of the Florida Commission on Human Relations.