Large settlement reached in housing discrimination case

The Justice Department announced a $1.25 million settlement with Warren Properties Inc., Warren Village (Mobile) Limited Partnership and Frank R. Warren to remedy a lawsuit whereby the defendants violated the Fair Housing Act by refusing to grant a tenant’s requests for a reasonable accommodation.

This settlement is the largest ever obtained by the department in an individual housing discrimination case.

The lawsuit, filed on April 29, 2009, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama, alleges that the defendants failed to permit a tenant with a mobility impairment to move to a ground-floor apartment near the front of the building in a 196-unit apartment complex in Mobile, Ala., owned by Warren Village (Mobile) Limited Partnership.

The suit also alleges that the tenant suffered severe injuries as a result of falling down the stairs.

Under the settlement terms, the defendants must pay $1,195,000 to compensate the tenant, along with an additional $55,000 in fees and costs to the government. The defendants must hire a reasonable accommodation facilitator to handle requests for reasonable accommodations from more than 11,000 housing units in 85 properties managed by Warren Properties Inc. in 15 states.

The defendants must also attend fair housing training, implement a non-discrimination policy, and comply with notice, monitoring and reporting requirements.

“Property owners and managers have no excuse for violating our nation’s fair housing laws by refusing to accommodate people with disabilities,” said Thomas E. Perez, assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Equal access to housing in the United States is a fundamental right, and this nation will not tolerate discrimination in housing.”

Kenyen R. Brown, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama, said: “This is the second major settlement of a housing discrimination case engineered by our office in the last year. We will continue to make civil rights and housing litigation a major priority of this office.”

“Persons with disabilities have a right to the reasonable accommodations they need to function and live as others do,” said John Trasviña, Department of Housing and Urban Development(HUD) Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “Denying them that right violates the Fair Housing Act and HUD, and the Department of Justice are committed to ensuring that property owners meet their responsibility to comply with the law.”

The lawsuit arose as a result of a complaint filed by the tenant with HUD. After an investigation of the complaint, HUD issued a charge of discrimination and the plaintiff elected to have the case heard in federal court.

This case was litigated primarily by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gary Moore and Deidre Colson, with the support of paralegal specialist Regina Dickerson in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Mobile. Elizabeth Singer, director of the U.S. Attorneys’ Fair Housing Program in the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in Washington, D.C., also assisted in the case.

The Justice Department said fighting unlawful housing discrimination is a top priority. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin and disability.

Persons who believe they have experienced or witnessed unlawful housing discrimination may call the Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, e-mail the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov or contact HUD at 1-800-669-9777.

Winter energy funds released for the disabled, elderly

The Department of Health and Human Services has released funds to support low income individuals with special needs across the nation to pay energy bills during the winter season.

These funds are earmarked for people with disabilities, the elderly, or for parents whose children are six-years old, and younger.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), does not provide direct individual help, but individuals who may qualify need to contact their state’s LIHEAP office.

LIHEAP’s goal is to help families be safe, and stay indoors during heavy stormy weather, and to keep frail and sick individuals with continuous home energy.

People with disabilities, elderly and children are especially at risk for life threatening illness or death if their home is too cold in the winter or too hot in the summer, the department said.

Following are advices to stay safe indoors, and answers to common questions to find out how someone can qualify for LIHEAP funds:

BE SAFE IN YOUR HOME
You can face safety risks if you are unable to pay your home energy bills. Some people resort to unsafe methods to keep their homes warm or cool. These include the use of fireplaces, stoves, improperly vented portable heaters, barbecue grills, or overloading electrical circuits. These methods are not only fire hazards, but also create the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

WHAT IS LIHEAP?
LIHEAP is a Federally-funded program that helps low-income households with their home energy bills.

LIHEAP can help you stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. By doing so, you can reduce the risk of health and safety problems (such as illness, fire, or eviction).

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE LIHEAP ASSISTANCE?
The LIHEAP program in your community determines if your household's income qualifies for the program. The LIHEAP program may also require households to meet additional eligibility criteria to receive LIHEAP assistance.

The availability of LIHEAP assistance is not guaranteed. Often most of the Federal LIHEAP funds are spent during the winter.

WHAT ASSISTANCE DOES LIHEAP PROVIDE?
Your LIHEAP program may be able to offer you one or more of the following types of assistance:
• Bill payment assistance.
• Energy crisis assistance.
• Weatherization and energy-related home repairs.

WHAT INFORMATION DO I NEED TO APPLY?
Your may need the following:

~Recent copies of your utility bills.

~A recent payroll stub or other proof that shows your current gross income.

~Documentation showing income from Social Security, unemployment insurance, pension funds, disability, etc.

~Final Utility Termination Notice (if someone has received a shut-off notice from the energy company).

~Proof of current address (e.g., rent receipt, lease or deed, property tax bill).
Proof of total members living in your household (e.g., birth certificates, school records, etc.).

~Social Security cards (or numbers) for all persons living in your household.

~Proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residence.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT LIHEAP AND WHERE TO APPLY:
Call the National Energy Assistance Referral (NEAR) project. NEAR is a free service providing information on where anyone can apply for LIHEAP. Operation hours at NEAR are Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mountain time, or from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m., Pacific time.

• Call the toll-free phone number at: 1-866-674-6327,
• send an e-mail to: energy@ncat.org
or contact the State's LIHEAP office.

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FEMA advises planning for season's emergencies

The onset of winter-like weather requires a resetting of preparedness for millions of elderly Americans and those with physical, medical, sensory or cognitive disabilities. Extreme cold and harsh winter storms can dramatically increase the daily hardships and day to day survival challenges for these populations.

With temperatures dropping and snowflakes beginning to fall, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) says that now is the time to take a few easy steps to prepare for emergencies.

FEMA officials urge seniors and people with disabilities to:

• Make prior arrangements with your physician or check with your oxygen supplier about emergency plans for those on respirators or other electric powered medical equipment.

• Plan to have electrical backup for medical equipment.

• Develop a back-up communications plan in case land lines are disrupted by having a charged cell phone or a pager.

• Maintain a two-week supply of medications, both prescription and non-prescription.

• Have copies of your medical records, prescriptions and medical needs readily available.

• Plan now to have accessible transportation in case of evacuation.

• Have contact lenses, extra eyeglasses and batteries for hearing aids ready to go.

•Include your service animals and pets in your plans.

• Think ahead about neighborhood shelters that can accommodate the needs of seniors and the disabled.

FEMA also recommends that people with special needs develop and stay in touch with a nearby network of assistance before winter storms or record cold move in. It’s important for neighbors, relatives, care attendants, friends and coworkers to be part of care and communications circle. Never depend on one person alone.

Severe winter weather including snow, subfreezing temperatures, strong winds, ice or even heavy rain require planning ahead.

FEMA recommends an emergency supply kit that includes:

• A battery or hand crank powered radio, extra flashlights and batteries, and at minimum a week’s supply of food and water.

• Adequate clothing and blankets for warmth.
• First Aid Supplies.

Finally, it’s important to understand the terms of declining weather and pending winter storms.

• A winter weather advisory means that cold, ice, rain and/or snow are expected.

• A winter storm watch means severe weather such as heavy snow or ice is possible in the next day or two.

• A winter storm warning means that severe winter conditions have begun or will begin very soon.

Remember that planning ahead, assembling an emergency supply kit, staying informed and keeping those in your circle informed about you are the best ways to stay safe through the uncertain days of winter.

Piden ratificación global de tratado pro-migrantes(2)

En varias naciones centroamericanas y caribeñas, entre ellas Haití, el impacto de la reducción de remesas fue de entre uno y dos puntos del PIB, mientras en países del sudeste europeo osciló entre dos y tres por ciento.

Pero el Banco Mundial adelanta que las cifras finales de 2010, que se computarán al finalizar diciembre, rondarían los 325,000 millones de dólares. Se espera que esa tendencia al alza continúe para llegar en 2012 a 374,000 millones de dólares.

HRW sostiene que muchos países dependen de la mano de obra extranjera para abastecer trabajos mal pagos, peligrosos o informales.

Además, en su informe documenta explotación laboral y obstáculos para indemnizar a inmigrantes en la agricultura, el servicio doméstico y la construcción en Arabia Saudita, Emiratos Árabes Unidos, Estados Unidos, Indonesia, Malasia, Kazajstán, Kuwait, Líbano y Tailandia.

"Los sistemas de apoyo a la inmigración de muchos países otorgan a los empleadores un inmenso control sobre los trabajadores y dejan a éstos presos de situaciones abusivas o imposibilitados de reclamar reparaciones en la justicia", dice el informe.

En Estados Unidos, cientos de miles de personas son detenidas durante meses o inclusive años por violar normas migratorias de carácter civil.

Sin derecho a un abogado nombrado por el Estado, casi 60% de los inmigrantes detenidos comparecen en los tribunales sin defensa legal en ese país.

HRW también sostiene que para los inmigrantes con discapacidades mentales, la falta de un abogado determina que no puedan defender sus derechos. Algunos permanecen detenidos sin justificación durante años.

La Organización Internacional para las Migraciones (OIM) sostuvo que con demasiada frecuencia las contribuciones que los migrantes hacen a la sociedad son cuestionadas o ignoradas, pues muchos gobiernos adoptan conductas reduccionistas, presentándolos como una carga para economías debilitadas o como un drenaje constante de los servicios sociales que prestan los estados.

Un estudio publicado este año por el University College London reveló que los recién llegados a Gran Bretaña desde Europa oriental pagaron en proporción 37% más de impuestos que los beneficios que recibieron de los servicios públicos en el período 2008-2009.

Muchos inmigrantes, además, contribuyeron a la prestación de atención sanitaria como personal médico, de enfermería y de limpieza en el Servicio Nacional de Salud de ese país.

En Estados Unidos, los ciudadanos naturales se benefician con unos 37,000 millones de dólares por año aportados a la economía nacional por la actividad de los inmigrantes, según el Consejo de Asesores Económicos de la Presidencia.

Más de uno de cada 10 trabajadores autónomos de Estados Unidos son inmigrantes, según la OIM.

Pero, pese a las pruebas, "pocos asuntos despiertan reacciones más duras que la migración", dijo el director general de la OIM, William Lacy Swing.

"Desde los recintos parlamentarios hasta las calles, pasando por las discusiones a la hora de la cena, hay encendidos debates sobre el impacto de los inmigrantes en la identidad nacional, la seguridad, el empleo, la salud y los servicios sociales, todos elementos que conforman la fábrica de la sociedad", agregó.

Pero muchas de esas discusiones se basan en emociones y mitos, y no en realidades sociales y económicas.

"Las migraciones, ahora y en el futuro, obedecen a tendencias económicas, sociales y demográficas globales que ya no pueden ser ignoradas", agregó Swing.

Una de las razones de su marcado aumento es la caída poblacional en los países industrializados, que llegaría a 25% para 2050, dijo.

Esto ampliará significativamente la demanda de trabajadores migrantes mientras la fuerza laboral de los países en desarrollo pasará de los 2,400 millones de 2005 a 3,600 millones en 2040.

Piden ratificación global de tratado pro-migrantes(1)

La ONU observa el Día Internacional del Migrante exhortando a ampliar la vigencia de una convención de 1990 que protege los derechos de esas poblaciones, mientras una ola de xenofobia se extiende por Europa y Estados Unidos.

El llamado del secretario general de las Naciones Unidas, Ban Ki-moon, fue dirigido sobre todo a los países occidentales, que albergan a más de 215 millones de inmigrantes y que se han negado a ratificar el tratado que los obligaría a ofrecer seguridad y protección a los trabajadores extranjeros.

"La situación irregular de muchos migrantes no los priva de su humanidad ni de sus derechos", dijo Ban al referirse al día internacional que se conmemorará este sábado 18.

La Convención Internacional sobre la Protección de los Derechos de todos los Trabajadores Migratorios y de sus Familiares se firmó en 1990 y entró en vigor en julio de 2003 con la ratificación de 20 países, la mayoría de ellos fuente de trabajadores emigrantes, como Argelia, Egipto, Ghana, Marruecos, México, Sri Lanka, Turquía y Filipinas.

Entre los países occidentales que eluden este tratado se encuentran varios de los mayores receptores de población extranjera, como Alemania, Estados Unidos, Francia, Gran Bretaña e Italia.

En un documento de 48 páginas divulgado en la sede neoyorquina de la ONU (Organización de las Naciones Unidas), la organización humanitaria Human Rights Watch (HRW) pidió a los gobiernos que en 2011 se dediquen a mejorar las medidas de protección de los inmigrantes, por ejemplo ratificando la Convención.

Muchos gobiernos agravan las cosas con políticas que exacerban la discriminación o que impiden a los inmigrantes siquiera recurrir a las autoridades en busca de ayuda, dijo la investigadora de HRW, Nisha Varia, especializada en derechos de las mujeres.

Las políticas migratorias y la ausencia de protección legal ponen a los inmigrantes en mayor riesgo de abusos como explotación laboral, violencia, trata de personas, malos tratos y torturas cuando son detenidos y asesinatos, dijo Varia. Y esos países ofrecen muy pocos recursos para reclamar justicia, señaló.

La creciente xenofobia es evidente en buena parte de Europa occidental (Alemania, Francia, Italia y Suiza) y también en Estados Unidos.

Ante una pregunta sobre la caída de las remesas de dinero que los trabajadores envían a sus familias, causada en el último año por la crisis económica mundial, Varia insistió en que "los gobiernos deben proteger los derechos humanos de los migrantes sin importar que sus contribuciones económicas suban o bajen".

Además, combatir infracciones laborales muy comunes, como el no pago de salarios, tiene efectos económicos positivos, añadió.

En tiempos de penurias, la población de un país puede culpar a los extranjeros de quedarse con sus empleos, aun cuando se trate de trabajos que ella misma no esté dispuesta a ejecutar, sostuvo Varia. Por eso "los gobiernos deben hacer frente a los sentimientos xenófobos que conducen a la discriminación y a la violencia".

Según el Banco Mundial, las remesas de dinero enviadas por los trabajadores inmigrantes hacia los países en desarrollo llegaron a 278,000 millones de dólares en 2007 y a 325,000 millones en 2008. Pero en 2009 cayeron a 307,000 millones de dólares.

Los países más afectados fueron Moldavia (este europeo) Kirguistán y Tayikistán (Asia central), donde la caída de ingresos por remesas representó entre ocho y 16 % del producto interno bruto (PIB), de acuerdo con el informe "Situación económica mundial y perspectivas 2011", que se divulgó parcialmente el 1 de este mes y será publicado íntegramente en la primera semana de enero.

OI fundraiser attracts petroleum donors(1)

By Alfredo Santana

Rob Parke wheeled his day at the Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) fundraiser golf course with players from the Southern California Petroleum Industry Association (SCPICA), teed several holes on  his electric chair, and helped to raise $52,000.

He raffled the night's silent auction winning numbers for the OI Foundation.

“I am very happy about the event and feel grateful to be a part of it. We average more than 300 golfers every year and many more participants for dinner and tennis,” Parke said.

Parke was born with OI. He handled a laptop to draw the lucky numbers, and displayed them on a wall screen before a crowd of about 1,500 people.

The OI fundraiser, celebrated once a year, took place Nov. 12. The event, titled the 36th Annual 2010 Southern California Petroleum Industry, Golf and Tennis Tournament to Benefit Osteogenesis Imperfecta, was held at the Pacific Palm Resort in City of Industry.

Since its inception in 1975, the foundation has collected $1.4 million in fundraisers and contributions.

OI is a genetic disorder that creates weak brittle bones, and causes innumerable fractures in the life of humans. It also affects bone and tissue development, and in many cases prevents full growth of arms and legs. Respiratory diseases, hearing loss and partial blindness are common among adult OI patients.

Parke, who has a master’s degree in education from the University of Southern California, said his work clinches funds for a good cause. Organizers said the event's goal is to find a cure.

“There is a a committee of about 20 people who work throughout the year to organize the event, plus the couple dozen volunteers who help staff the actual event day," he said.

The OI Foundation conducts research with medical professionals at universities and hospitals to advance treatments. The foundation offers research scholarships to doctors who study the disorder, and for those engaged in orthopedic treatments for adults and children.

Auctioned items included power tools, family card games and ESPN trivia cards. About 10 wine bottles auctioned raked in almost $3,500.

OI fundraiser attracts petroleum donors(2)

Minimum bids started at $30, but a Ken Griffith Jr.'s autographed baseball collected about $300. OI representatives said $54,000 were raised last year.

Organizer Pat Keaning said it's important to participate, because the support makes a difference to people with OI.

Keaning presented the Thelma Clarke Lifetime Volunteer Service Award to Frank Fossati. He started fundraisers as worker with Shell Oil Co. Fossati retired from Shell.

Thelma Clarke was a mother of a child with OI, who volunteered with OI Foundation. The award was created when she died in 1989.

“Frank truly is the heart and soul of this event,” Keaning said.

Stewart Tate, OI Foundation director of development, said the funds help to expand medical attention from the state of Washington to Southern California. He said OI is so rare most hospitals advise patients to visit specialists before beginning treatment.

“Can you imagine what someone feels when even before reaching five years of age, the child has suffered 10 to 20 fractures, most of them caused after sneezing, when changing diapers, of just by stretching an arm or leg?” Tart asked. “It’s been scientifically proven that adults, when they reach the age of 35, in many cases they have survived at least 200 fractures. We need to continue research and work to find a cure.”

Tart said the foundation has started partnerships with seven clinics to accept adults with OI. Much of the foundation's research focuses on children, and how genes mutation cause collagen disorders.

Tart said the goal is to open clinics and hospitals in all major cities of the country. A clinic in Portland, Ore. provides special attention to adults from Southern California.

Parke said patients can visit the foundation's website to learn about hospitals and doctors in the area. They can find information about surgeries and teeth hygiene. The site also offers a section on orthopedics. The foundation provides an e-mail that links doctors to potential patients and their families.

Tate estimates about 50,000 people live with OI in the United States. Further information can be found at www.oif.org.