"Laws in America require employers, schools, landlords, as well as governments to make services accessible to persons with disabilities through the provision of reasonable accommodations or modifications." However, millions of Americans with Disabilities are deprived of their rights, despite legal protections related to them, due to a lack of awareness and failure to provide them with reasonable accommodations in a number of areas. Persons with disabilities in this nation continue to face considerable levels of discrimination related to employment, services, education, and housing, etc. We all heard the saying, "Politics is dirty" but when it comes to discrimination it's not politically correct to cease it however it's ignored. "Disability discrimination should have no place in this nation " and it doesn't matter what political party in office" its disregard intentionally.
"Disability Lives Matter", this new journey of being disabled is realizing life is a gift, the importance of our voice and existence in this world! Disabled & Inspired: Still believe, achieving dreams and renewed hope! We started this blog in 2016 after Obama passed "Mental Illness Awareness Month" 2016 to write about our journey, experience, injustice, and challenges as a disabled person. And connecting with others around the globe, networking and sharing our journey and exchanging information.
As we started this journey blogging about disability, we discovered it's a dark side to be disabled as we try to fit in this "culture" to have equal access, treatment, reasonable accommodation, and ADA, etc., and to cease discrimination, inequity, and bullying. We decided that our "voices" need to be heard just like any other American; that because we are a disabled person, "we should be included" in society not excluded from the general public. While some expect us to be fearful, dismissive, passive or silent because of our income status, gender or disability; we're human capable, able and assertive in communicating in a clear, concise, and honest manner, respecting our own rights and feelings and the rights and feelings of others. Similar to our admirer Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who started the Poor People’s Campaign in a nonviolent approach who address issues of economic justice and housing for the poor in the United States which still remain unresolved.
March 2017, Maryland lawmakers passed a bill that landlords must not discriminate against Section 8 voucher holders in Maryland. So what about these agencies and/or housing providers such as HOC and other agencies who use their powers to help discriminate and oppress Section 8 voucher holders? For example, An HOC Market Analyst sent an email to a landlord to cancel my friend a disabled Section 8 voucher holder application for an accessible apartment before the approval process wasn't finalized! As you can see that HOC employee conspires with the landlord against Section 8 voucher holders, the Maryland lawmakers need to know that landlords aren't the only ones that discriminate against Section 8 voucher holders. In addition, that it's permissible that Section 8 voucher holders pay $150 dollars and over more than their vouchers are worth to keep their home, "what a financial struggle" for those who are considered impoverished.
"Disability Lives Matter", this new journey of being disabled is realizing life is a gift, the importance of our voice and existence in this world! Disabled & Inspired: Still believe, achieving dreams and renewed hope! We started this blog in 2016 after Obama passed "Mental Illness Awareness Month" 2016 to write about our journey, experience, injustice, and challenges as a disabled person. And connecting with others around the globe, networking and sharing our journey and exchanging information.
As we started this journey blogging about disability, we discovered it's a dark side to be disabled as we try to fit in this "culture" to have equal access, treatment, reasonable accommodation, and ADA, etc., and to cease discrimination, inequity, and bullying. We decided that our "voices" need to be heard just like any other American; that because we are a disabled person, "we should be included" in society not excluded from the general public. While some expect us to be fearful, dismissive, passive or silent because of our income status, gender or disability; we're human capable, able and assertive in communicating in a clear, concise, and honest manner, respecting our own rights and feelings and the rights and feelings of others. Similar to our admirer Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who started the Poor People’s Campaign in a nonviolent approach who address issues of economic justice and housing for the poor in the United States which still remain unresolved.
March 2017, Maryland lawmakers passed a bill that landlords must not discriminate against Section 8 voucher holders in Maryland. So what about these agencies and/or housing providers such as HOC and other agencies who use their powers to help discriminate and oppress Section 8 voucher holders? For example, An HOC Market Analyst sent an email to a landlord to cancel my friend a disabled Section 8 voucher holder application for an accessible apartment before the approval process wasn't finalized! As you can see that HOC employee conspires with the landlord against Section 8 voucher holders, the Maryland lawmakers need to know that landlords aren't the only ones that discriminate against Section 8 voucher holders. In addition, that it's permissible that Section 8 voucher holders pay $150 dollars and over more than their vouchers are worth to keep their home, "what a financial struggle" for those who are considered impoverished.
Against the founder of "Disabled Lives Matter," I decided to write her story about her direct discrimination experience that is happening against her with the Housing Opportunity Commission in Montgomery County, Maryland. They don't like Section 8 advocacy, association or the poor to advocate in Montgomery County, Maryland; it's intolerable. She was diagnosed with 4 chronic illness and she needs to relocate to a 1st-floor unit due to her physical impairments supported by doctor's certifications. The Housing Opportunity Commission (HOC), EEOC employee sent her an email and said her request was denied to relocate was because of a $4.00 difference. In addition, he turned down her reasonable accommodations down by misleading and misrepresenting the facts by email to her with various excuses out of retaliation only to abuse his powers. Can you imagine an EEOC officer who supposes to believe in "Equal Opportunity" for all would try to coerce a disabled person from her fair housing rights? In addition, try to intimidate and interfere with her exercising her fair housing rights by refusing to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices, and services to have access to an accessible unit on an equal basis as a nondisabled person? Dirty politics.
The Fair Housing Act (FHA) is a federal law that bans housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and familial status, which are often described as “protected classes.” It can also mean giving an illegal preference to one group over another because of a protected status. In a nutshell, the FHA makes it unlawful to deny housing to someone—or treat him adversely—because he is a member of a protected class. Under the FHA, it’s unlawful to refuse requests for reasonable accommodations and/or modifications when necessary to allow individuals with disabilities to fully use and/or enjoy a dwelling. Title II prohibits discrimination based on disability in programs, services, and activities provided or made available by public entities. HUD enforces Title II when it relates to state and local public housing, housing assistance and housing referrals. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs and activities conducted by HUD or that receive financial assistance from HUD.
The Fair Housing Act (FHA) is a federal law that bans housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and familial status, which are often described as “protected classes.” It can also mean giving an illegal preference to one group over another because of a protected status. In a nutshell, the FHA makes it unlawful to deny housing to someone—or treat him adversely—because he is a member of a protected class. Under the FHA, it’s unlawful to refuse requests for reasonable accommodations and/or modifications when necessary to allow individuals with disabilities to fully use and/or enjoy a dwelling. Title II prohibits discrimination based on disability in programs, services, and activities provided or made available by public entities. HUD enforces Title II when it relates to state and local public housing, housing assistance and housing referrals. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs and activities conducted by HUD or that receive financial assistance from HUD.
Another HOC employee, a Market analysis slander her name to a landlord and aggressively instructed the landlord to cancel her application. Now the landlord will not talk or return her phone calls, this is how HOC employees spend their 8 hours harassing or abusing their powers against Section 8 voucher residents. She thought the landlord had a good relationship because they talked once a week before this incident occurred with HOC. However, she had filed a fair housing complaint against Housing Opportunity Commission (HOC) in the past, therefore, HOC employees find every opportunity to retaliate against her which is against the law. You can assume that the employees get recognition or a promotion against any Section 8 voucher holders they may have issues against. They label her as a "troublemaker" just because she filed a fair housing complaint which is lawful and within her rights. "No civil rights officer, employee or agent may intimidate, threaten, harass, coerce, discriminate or otherwise retaliate against anyone who has filed a complaint of alleged discrimination or who has participated in any manner in an investigation or other proceeding raising allegations of discrimination".
Housing Opportunity Commission already certified her current unit on June 26, 2017, even though it is unsafe and unhealthy before she picked up her new voucher on June 28th, 2017. HOC already made a decision that she will not be able to move to an accessible unit on the 1st floor. Even though her doctors informed HOC that it's unhealthy to stay in her current unit since May 5th, 2017. HOC is gambling with her life which they are held liable if something happens to her because she has bad pulmonary issues, if a fire or electric or anything of such happens the State of Maryland or anyone who is aware is held liable that violates her life. She provided several doctors notes to HOC and other agencies on May 5, 2017. HOC and staff personally believe that they will not be held responsible for her life because of their hate and discrimination, "Hate Never Wins". Her church community opens their doors to allow her to stay with them until she gets her accessible unit as HOC is being retaliatory and bullying a disabled person. However, she is paying rent in her current unit and not living there which the landlord is being honored with "free rent" by HOC (taxpayers money). In addition, the extra funds over the voucher amount which she struggled to pay for 2 years as a disabled person. You have to wonder why the politicians and/or other agencies supporting such rhetoric and "hateful acts" in Montgomery County, MD against the vulnerable? "Equal justice and equal opportunity should be a reality but it's not".
The shared values of diversity, inclusion, and access to opportunity are central to who we are as a nation, but, all too often, our ability to fulfill that vision of America is undermined by our failure to take thoughtful, strategic action to promote fair housing choice. HOC desire to disempower the Section 8 voucher holder and/or the disabled community who speak about any rights that HOC don't agree with; and if you speak up about any rights you are "bullied". "On October 21, 2015, HUD proposed a rule that would formalize and define harassment under the Fair Housing Act. This rule would recognize and protect important rights of persons covered by the Fair Housing Act in their home. And the rule would impose clear responsibility on the housing provider for any acts of harassment. HUD can hold providers of housing, including landlords, managers, and their agents responsible for protecting tenants from harassment. With a proposed new rule, HUD seeks to prevent housing providers from making inappropriate sexual or other demands on tenants and clarifies the responsibility of the housing provider to prevent harassment that creates a hostile environment depriving tenants of their rights. Housing providers can not evade liability for harassment that takes place in their buildings.
HOC and the MD county politics realize that Section 8 voucher holders have the fewest protections, no rights in forming associations and least access the legal resources. Poverty without a voice is the way they like it and to forbid the vulnerable their civil and human rights by controlling their voucher, withhold programs and to ignore they are living in an unsafe environment or they will threaten to make Section 8 voucher holder homeless. Why or what she writes or speaks bothers them? Because it's the truth. If it's not true and it's fabrication, why retaliate? Why take away her civil rights or dignity? Why her disability bothers them? Section 8 voucher holder is basic institutional slavery? Want to control her because she is Section 8 voucher resident? Don't like her politics? What is the truth? Are these human rights standards or abuses committed by Housing Opportunity Commission acceptable because of income status? Because the politicians turn their head and ignore the abuses because most of the clients are "people of color, disabled and our seniors."
There are those in power both democrats or republicans who oppressed the vulnerable community and protect agencies who abuse us. There has been an Equal Rights Act in America; an Americans with Disabilities Act - and still this blatant, unremitting, and completely unjustified abuse of people with disabilities continues in this nation.
"There are people who groom themselves too aggressively victimized and convert abuse to intimidate people like the vulnerable community only to distort or misrepresent to gain favor".
References:
http://www.hocmc.org/rental-programs/fair-housing.html
HUD to Apply Fair Housing Act Against Bullying
Fair Housing Laws and Presidential Executive Orders
Fair Housing Complaint Process
HOC and the MD county politics realize that Section 8 voucher holders have the fewest protections, no rights in forming associations and least access the legal resources. Poverty without a voice is the way they like it and to forbid the vulnerable their civil and human rights by controlling their voucher, withhold programs and to ignore they are living in an unsafe environment or they will threaten to make Section 8 voucher holder homeless. Why or what she writes or speaks bothers them? Because it's the truth. If it's not true and it's fabrication, why retaliate? Why take away her civil rights or dignity? Why her disability bothers them? Section 8 voucher holder is basic institutional slavery? Want to control her because she is Section 8 voucher resident? Don't like her politics? What is the truth? Are these human rights standards or abuses committed by Housing Opportunity Commission acceptable because of income status? Because the politicians turn their head and ignore the abuses because most of the clients are "people of color, disabled and our seniors."
There are those in power both democrats or republicans who oppressed the vulnerable community and protect agencies who abuse us. There has been an Equal Rights Act in America; an Americans with Disabilities Act - and still this blatant, unremitting, and completely unjustified abuse of people with disabilities continues in this nation.
"There are people who groom themselves too aggressively victimized and convert abuse to intimidate people like the vulnerable community only to distort or misrepresent to gain favor".
References:
http://www.hocmc.org/rental-programs/fair-housing.html
HUD to Apply Fair Housing Act Against Bullying
Fair Housing Laws and Presidential Executive Orders
Fair Housing Complaint Process
"Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” — Lord Acton
