Why did the Nassau County Legislature amend its law that prohibits discrimination in housing?
As a result of public hearings held in 2006, the Nassau County Legislature determined that prejudice, intolerance, bigotry and discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived differences of race, color, creed, gender, age, disability, religion, source of income, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, familial status or ethnicity are harmful to the health, morals, safety and welfare of the residents of Nassau County. The Nassau County Legislature also determined that segregation in housing creates economic instability by limiting access to quality education, health care and job opportunities for professionals and skilled workers, and creates pockets of poverty and increases the cost of housing in all neighborhoods. The amendments to the law allow the Nassau County Commission on Human Rights (NCCHR) to refer complaints to Administrative Law Judges hired by Nassau County to hold hearings to determine if the law has been violated.
