In Appreciation of St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach Commissioners and Their Fair Housing Ordinances

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) just released a study of anti-Gay discrimination in housing.  Federal law does not yet protect GLBT people in housing discrimination. 

Ahead of federal law, our City of St. Augustine bans "sexual orientation" discrimination in housing.  The vote was unanimous.

So does our City of St. Augustine Beach, which also bans "gender orientation" discrimination.  The vote was unanimous.

Three cheers for progress! 

Local jurisdictions also protect GLBT employee rights, including the Sheriff, State's Attorney's office and Anastasia Mosquito Control Commission of St. Johns County (first in 2009).  St. Augustine Beach protects GLBT employee rights in the private sector.

There will be more progress.

We're way ahead of Jacksonville, whose City Commission rejected GLBT rights protections last August. We're leaving Jacksonville in our dust.  Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once called St. Augustine "the most lawless" city in America during the days of Jim Crow segregation.  Yesterday marked the commemoration of the 49th anniversary of the largest mass arrest of rabbis in American history -- their letter was eloquently read at the Bayfront (with no coverage by the St. Augustine Record or TV news crews).

We're changing history.  Dr. King and the fifteen Rabbis would be proud!

Visitors and employers don't want to be in intolerant places -- increasingly, they look for diversity and respect for human rights.

In fact, when the Mumford & Sons musical group's "Gentlemen of the Road Tour" chose St. Augustine as one of only three (3) tour stops in the United States, it was our City's Fair Housing ordinance that helped win their hearts.

On December 10, 2013, the City of St. Augustine adoped the Fair Housing ordinance amendment adding sexual orientation as a protected class. The next day, the City of St. Augustine staff had a two-hour conference call with Mumford & Sons: City Manager John Patrick Regan, P.E. mentioned the Fair Housing ordinance amendment, a fact that helped persuade Mumford & Sons to agree to come to St. Augustine. 

Mumford & Sons shares our pride in St. Augustine becoming a tolerant, friendly place -- it's not 1964 any longer.

Today's St. Augustine Record carries an angry letter to the editor, decrying the St. Augustine Beach Commission as the "worst" in 24 years.  The author was the only person to speak in opposition to the St. Augustine Beach Fair Housing ordinance, which he said was "not necessary" and already covered "by federal law."  Mr. Robert Koehler is wrong on all three counts.  St. Augustine Beach City Commission is much bettertoday than it was when it was run as a dictatorship.

From his inarticulate letter, it appears that Robert Koehler is angry that the City of St. Augustine Beach is now GLBT-friendly, and has a Fair Housing ordinance that is ahead of federal law.  What do you reckon?

While Mr. Koehler and I recently agreed in opposing redlight cameras, I've found his heckling me (and others) when we are at the podium speaking to be a bit distracting.   Forgive him.