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Benicia Racial Discrimination Complaints Settled by Fair Housing Authority

The audits revealed the housing providers consistently offered white people better terms and more attractive conditions than to blacks.

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By Bay City News Service

The Fair Housing Authority of Marin has settled race discrimination complaints it filed against six rental properties in Benicia, Vallejo and Richmond.

The settlements were reached between June and November 2012 with the four housing management companies that owned 2,350 rental units at the six properties, Fair Housing of Marin's staff attorney Jessica Tankersley Sparks said this morning.

The two race discrimination audits Fair Housing of Marin conducted in Solano County and in Richmond revealed the housing providers consistently offered white people better terms and more attractive conditions than to blacks. 

Whites were offered lower security deposits, lower or non-existent minimum income requirements, increased availability, more flexible lease terms and more information about amenities and encouragement to apply for housing than African-Americans.

Fair Housing of Marin filed administrative complaints with the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.  

The $38,000 the four housing management companies will pay to Fair Housing of Marin under the settlement will provide free counseling, enforcement, mediation, and legal or administrative referrals to people who experience housing discrimination.  

Sparks said Fair Housing of Marin audits property managers for discrimination in Northern California and provides direct client services in Sonoma and Marin counties.

Other audits are pending and may be completed by this summer, Sparks said.

Copyright © 2013 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

"The Black Panther of Poetry" February 1, 2013 at 05:23 pm
Now why doesn't this surprise me about Solano County, i.e Benicia?!!! People, if it walks like a duck....and it quacks like a duck....then Goddammit...it's a DUCK!!!
LOW HANGING FRUIT City streets and minority families are usually the growing spots Where they are abundantly grown and harvested so easily when otherwise the pickings are not The most popular flavors are black and brown for they stimulate a healthy system with hardly a  protest or frown Nurtured and grown with the best of fertilizers watered by haters, bigots, and profilers This fruit is picked by the local constable to feed the mouths of those in power in their weakest times and most vulnerable hours Oh this low hanging fruit will never flicker for it yields a high volume with little labor and danger for the picker
Babaloo February 1, 2013 at 06:23 pm
As my former boss said " don't like it here you can always leave . "... That's why I did . Don't ever forget. You can always " leave if you don't like something".
"The Black Panther of Poetry" February 1, 2013 at 06:32 pm
People, please help me do the math on this:
Babaloo, first generation from Brazil who came to America at will and to date has no major contribution to music, culture, lingo, arts or industry Bobby C. Richardson, ten or more generation for some part of maybe West Africa and was dragged kicking and screaming to America against his will. And has contributed much to music, dancing, art, industry, financial security, power, etc, etc. Now people, please tell me who is in ANY position of dictating anything to anyone about leaving AMERICA!!!
Joe Feltcher February 1, 2013 at 06:49 pm
It was Benicia AND RICHMOND AND VALLEJO. Did they not teach you how to read up on Carolina Bobbie?
Cody Kitaura (Editor) February 1, 2013 at 06:57 pm
Folks, just a friendly reminder: Please keep your comments civil and respectful, and stay away from any kind of personal attacks. Thanks.
Richard Bortolazzo February 2, 2013 at 01:05 pm
So, who were the discriminators?
Candice Estey Swanson February 2, 2013 at 01:54 pm
It was not us, Richard. Our criteria is online. It is often homeowners that do not know the rules.
Candice Estey Swanson February 2, 2013 at 01:54 pm
It was not us, Richard. Our criteria is online. It is often homeowners that do not know the rules.
"The Black Panther of Poetry" February 2, 2013 at 01:57 pm
Sorry about typos...sent from smart phone
Riley Willerson February 2, 2013 at 02:06 pm
Bobbie what is being said is that you can leave Benicia if you are so unhappy with this city, not America. Yes Benicia has its "Entitlement Attitude Residents"," EAR" and yes it is not the most diverse city, but it does have more good people than bad. As you well know the flip side is the people who believe because society has committed a past wrong they are now "Entitled without working for it" "EWFI". You can't keep blaming people in the present for what their past ancestors did. Even the patch has its same small group of responders and/or haters to articles, just as thier will ever be a small peoples who remain on the attack against and for others. Were you so surprised? I think not, but after seeing the same posting of your duck poem, it is getting a bit old, it is like saying "neener neener neener, if I am one you are one". Overall, Benicia is much safer than many surrounding communities, it is just a fact. Hopefully this action against Benicia, Vallejo, and Richmond will help with others who struggle in life to get a piece of the pie.
Robert Livesay February 2, 2013 at 02:38 pm
I do believe Bobbie is entitled to his opinion. That is all it is an opinion and his only. There are some attackers on the Patch. But for the most part they attack folks for their opinion. Try Bob Livesay he is attacked for his opinion all the time. I can take it. I will attack back if I feel it is necessary. I must agree Bobbie states his opinion but at the same time it is an attack and it will get responces back that could be very negative. If Bobbie would just stick to his opinion and stop the blame game I feel the responces would be much more positive. Just a thought.
Kenny February 2, 2013 at 05:06 pm
He who knows not...and knows not that he knows not...is a fool, shun him! But he who knows not...and knows that he knows not...is wise, follow him!
"The Black Panther of Poetry" February 2, 2013 at 05:12 pm
Richard, your question is irrelevant to this matter because racial discrimination is wide spread in Solano County, i.e., Benicia. Just go around to the businesses and see for your self. Go into BIG O TIRES, Raggs Coffee, Businesses down by CLOCK TOWER, Industrial Park. You people are still practicing unfair behavior in the workplace, housing, financial institutions, etc, etc.
"The Black Panther of Poetry" February 2, 2013 at 05:15 pm
And you have the juevos to open your mouth and tell me to leave!!!
http://patch.com/N-cYKf
"The Black Panther of Poetry" February 2, 2013 at 05:29 pm
and he/she who has been caught cheating, stealing, practicing racism and social stratification and has been told to stop it but yet continues to practice it. Deserves to be removed from SOCIETY!!!! For they do know what they do but cannot help it because it is hard-wired in their inferior psyche!!!
leon johnson February 3, 2013 at 03:00 am
Bobby , what part of music, dance, and financial security have you contributed that makes my life better ? Are you taking credit for the achievements of others because you think they look like you ? A leading genealogist is this country has stated , the ancestry of light skinned African Americans cannot be traced back to Africa .
"The Black Panther of Poetry" February 3, 2013 at 06:29 am
Do i look light skinned to you? And unlike you people, i know my family lineage? And one more thing with this finding by the Marin Equal housing, i think case of discrimination in benicia should be reopened and re examined because where there is smoke, there is fire.
Richard Bortolazzo February 3, 2013 at 02:20 pm
What's the point of the news article? We still don't have all the facts. Who were the persons or entities that discriminated? What were the motivations? The public deserves more information.
"The Black Panther of Poetry" February 3, 2013 at 04:42 pm
Why don't you ask what is the point of the St Pats' Hazing article? The point is to right a wrong to put people on notice that illegal acts and wrong behaviour and unfair practices will not and cannot continue to happen in a fair civilized democracy. I mean Right is Right and Wrong is Wrong and un-like Mark Twains' '' East is East and West is West", the twain must meet here, less we continue to find ourselves living over and over again, a Tale of Two Cities or in this case, Two Countries!!!
HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH!!!
Mary Frances Poh February 5, 2013 at 02:00 am
I was hoping to see something in the print media but nothing has appeared. Without sufficient information it is hard to know what was done and by whom and what can be done about it. I do not support discriminatory housing practices but this article doesn't give enough information to be useful.
"The Black Panther of Poetry" February 5, 2013 at 02:26 am
This is sent from my smart phone so forgive any Typos. The bottom lone is that African Americans were hurt with this discriminatory action. Now had this been an animal shelter, i.e dogs. Every.single one of you white people would be screaming bloody murder and inhumane treatment,.to the high heavens.

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Warren Pease June 16, 2013 at 11:05 pm
Good to see the artists and activists benefiting from the largesse and joining hands with ValeroRead More Corp., which has contributed huge amounts of money to fight anti-pollution propositions and paid millions in polluter fines during the past few years. Valero is #28 on Political Economy Research Institute's list of 100 (out of tens of thousands) Worst Greenhouse Polluters, not quite as bad as Koch Industries Inc (Koch Brothers) at #27 but much worse than Occidental petroleum Corp (81), Du Pont (70) Dow Chemical Co (44) and 68 others on the Top 100 list.
"The Black Panther of Poetry" June 5, 2013 at 10:43 am
These cowards see me all the time but they are too chicken shit to approach me with their BULL!!!
John Headley June 11, 2013 at 10:07 pm
Bobby no one here is afraid of someone who's waist size exceeds their height.
"The Black Panther of Poetry" June 11, 2013 at 10:20 pm
And so to is that other part. You know what i am referring to.
The Viking Band marches down the street at the Armijo Band Review. Photo by Sunil Kishnani.
Renee Peacock Stewart June 4, 2013 at 12:38 pm
We are very proud of these kids!! They work so very hard and I have enjoyed watching them perform.Read More Mr. Walp is a very dedicated and talented director! Our community is lucky to have him and it has been an honor to get to know him this year!
RJ Stewart May 18, 2013 at 06:02 am
Actually, Babaloo, I like the new website. That however may be fleeting since the compulsiveRead More Lockhorns have yet to entrench themselves here.
Frank Cassese May 31, 2013 at 02:37 pm
trogladites A family of trailerpark imbred trogs welfare recipients, who typically live withRead More their children. Fat woman and skinny man, usually drunk, who give a new meaning to the phrase "bottomfeeder". Typically have Summer Teeth, some'er here, some'er there.
Frank Cassese May 31, 2013 at 02:38 pm
Above is the meaning of a trogladite. Who in the hell do you think you are calling anyone by thisRead More name. I really take offense and I think anyone who thinks as you do should be banned from this rag.