April 2005 Housing News

The City of San Antonio will have a proclamation signed by the Mayor on April 28th at 9 a.m. at City Hall proclaiming the month of April as Fair Housing Month. The City will also be holding an Open House at the Fair Housing Program Offices the week of April 18-21 to inform and educate the public of their rights with regards to Fair Housing. Staff will be disbursing information and answering questions on a variety of Fair Housing issues, including Predatory Lending, Tenant/Landlord Rights, and more. The Fair Housing Offices are located at 700 S. Zarzamora, Suite 207. For more information, contact Augustine Sanchez or Lisa Gray at 207-5010.
The AACOG Board is also recognizing the month of April as Fair Housing Month. As a result, we support the City of San Antonio's efforts in Fair Housing, and encourage the public to attend the City's Open House on Fair Housing the week of April 18-21. (referenced above)

This month's energy tip is on "Safety". - Each year about 4,300 Americans die from fires, 440 from electric shock, and another 500 from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning. Here are some tips to save lives:

        1. Get a Smoke Detector: Install one with a new battery on every level of your home and outside each sleeping area. Replace batteries twice each year. One way to keep track of the battery change? Change them when you turn the clocks ahead or back for daylight-savings time. There are some newer smoke alarms that come with a 10-year battery. They are designed to be replaced as a unit, so you won't need to replace the batteries in these alarms.

        2. Get a Carbon Monoxide Alarm: Hardware stores sell these. They protect you against the odorless gas produced by defective heaters burning natural gas, oil, propane, wood, or kerosene. If the alarm goes off, call your fuel company immediately! Learn and recognize the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning: Dizziness, fatigue, headache, nausea, irregular breathing, and confusion. If you think you have the flu, but you get better when you leave the house, then carbon monoxide may be the cause. Get help quick.

        3. Keep the Area Clear Around your Furnace: It needs air to burn the fuel. Remember, never store combustibles near the furnace.

        4. Never Leave Your Car or any type of Engine Running in a Garage: This includes lawn mowers or anything else with an internal combustion engine. Please don't do it even if you leave the garage door open.



Remember that electricity can kill so be sure to do the following:

        1. Routinely check wires, extension cords, and appliance cords for signs of wear. They should not be cracked or frayed.

        2. Never pull a plug out by the cord.

        3. Used plastic safety caps in electrical outlets when there are small children in your home.

        4. Don't insert metal objects into an appliance - like a knife into a toaster - without unplugging the appliance first.

        5. Don't touch appliances, wires, or electrical switches with wet hands.

        6. Keep everyone away from downed wires and call 911 for help.

(Source: 2005 State of Texas Energy Assistance Calendar)
Texas NAHFO 2005 Annual Conference: Make your plans to attend the Texas NAHRO's (National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials) 2005 Annual Conference set for April 16-20 in Laredo. Scheduled speakers include: Edwinna Carrington, Executive Director of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs; A. Cynthia Leon, Regional Director, U.S. Dept. of HUD; and Saul Ramirez, Executive Director for NAHRO. For more information, visit the Texas NAHRO's website at www.txnahro.org/AnnualConference.asp.
Helpful Numbers: The Weatherization Assistance Program frequently gets phone calls from people needing home repairs. Because we are not a home repair program, we cannot help these people directly. However, there are a few agencies in Bexar County and in Guadalupe and other rural counties that may be able to assist with home repairs via loan programs or actual on-site repairs. These include the following: