Feel the Homomentum!

The Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) recently added sexual orientation to its non-discrimination policy. The addition is part of an overall ethics reform package.

The MHDC supports the financing, development, and preservation of affordable housing for Missourians, finances developers of affordable rental properties, funds loans to first-time home buyers, and provides 0% interest loans to non-profits that provide housing for moderate- and low-income individuals. It also administers the federal and Missouri Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) programs, federal HOME funds, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Project Based Section 8 rental assistance contracts.

Clint Zweifel, Missouri State Treasurer, became the head of the commission in May 2009 and quickly called for a comprehensive ethics reform package, including the addition of sexual orientation to its non-discrimination policy. The policy will not only guarantee equal employment opportunities within the MHDC but also ensure that sexual orientation does not affect a first-time home buyer's ability to receive a loan or mortgage refinancing assistance from the agency. Any company doing business with MHDC will also be held accountable for discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Zweifel stated, "Access to dignified, affordable housing for all Missourians is a core value for me and central to the mission of the Missouri Housing Development Commission. It is vital that we build a culture of tolerance and inclusion at MHDC so we can ensure that we are renewing the promise of responsible homeownership and providing equal access to quality affordable housing for all Missourians and the expanded non-discrimination policy will help us do that."

Show me some homomentum!

[Just FYI, I can't find a link to this story anywhere, I just received this news via email from PROMO. Nothing on their site as of yet.]