• Labor Standards Compliance

• Job Bank

• Joint Action In Community Services (JACS)

• Fair Housing, Landlord/Tenant Relations

• Human Rights Commission

Labor Standards Compliance - The Office of Human Affairs has participated in the Community Development Block Grant program since 1975, and has monitored Labor Standards Compliance since 1976.  These efforts have assisted the City and the Redevelopment & Housing Authority in meeting required program compliance and also allowed this agency to fulfill its mandate from the City Council to seek resources to eliminate poverty or the causes of poverty.  This program offers training to small/minority contractors and businesses, reviews all construction contracts, monitors payrolls, maintains a job bank, conducts seminars to enhance job readiness and preparedness, and publishes a monthly newsletter - The Contractor's Corner.

(Click here to return to top of page)

Job Bank - The Job Bank provides unemployment related counseling and locates suitable training and employment opportunity for area residents.  Assists in qualifying more area residents by assisting with GED and other training tools.  Refer residents for employment to various construction sites and businesses.

(Click here to return to top of page)

JACS (Joint Action in Community Services) - oha serves as the local volunteer advisory agency that works with Job Corps members who help after they leave their training center.  The assignment for JACS is to find out what the corps members did in the Job Corps, act as a referral service to help them find employment, transportation, housing, education, legal assistance, medical care, and other kinds of support services.  Follow-ups are done on a regular basis.

(Click here to return to top of page)

AComprehensive Housing Counseling Program@

The AComprehensive Housing Counseling Program@ provides comprehensive housing counseling services, including outreach to potential first-time home buyers, to persons eligible for or assisted under home buying, home ownership or rental housing programs regardless; of the program source.   The AComprehensive Housing Program@ enables persons to make prudent and responsible use of available programs by helping eligible renters, including public housing and Section 8 participants, locate and qualify for assisted rental units, by helping eligible home buyers obtain affordable housing and by aiding existing homeowners in avoiding foreclosures or evictions.

This program offers intensive, individual counseling and group training under seven topic categories: credit counseling, money and budget management, pre- and post-purchase home ownership counseling, homeowners rights and responsibilities, tenancy counseling, mortgage default counseling and Home Equity Conversion/ Reverse Mortgage counseling. The program offers comprehensive assistance in all loan products, whether federal, state, local or private. Our services are free, open to anyone, providing unbiased information to the consumer.

Two sessions are offered monthly, 6 hour Virginia Housing Development Authority certified Home ownership Educational Seminar designed to assist first-time home buyers in becoming informed and successful homeowners. OHA is approved by Fannie Mae as a Home buyer Education Provider. OHA is also a HUD approved Housing Counseling Agency; and is certified by the Virginia Housing Development Authority as a homeownership trainer.  The Program Director is a certified Comprehensive Housing Counselor with both the National Association of Housing Counselors and Agencies/ National Federation of Housing Counselors and the Housing Services, Inc.

Fair Housing & Landlord/Tenant Relations: OHA is the administering agency to receive, examine and inquire into alleged violations of the City’s Fair Housing Ordinance. Serves community with information, referral and training.  Funding comes from the City of Newport News and Newport News Redevelopment Housing Authority.

During the past year the program received 201 complaints and inquiries relating to Fair Housing, employment and discrimination complaints.  In addition, 302 housing counseling services were conducted, and 465 referrals.

1Rosa Terry, Coordinator  ((757)245-3271, ext. 315

Click the above button to enter our Fair Housing page

Newport News Human Rights Commission:  Safeguards all individuals from unlawful discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status or disability. Serves on Steering Committee of the Virginia Association of Human Rights Commissioners.

The Newport News Human Rights Commission is an indirect off-shoot of the Peninsula Community Housing Resources Board (PCHRB) which was established on April 24, 1980. The PCHRB came under the H.U.D. umbrella on Sep 29, 1980 with the establishment of the Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Act. On April 28, 1984 the Newport News Community Relations Committee (CRC) was established after restructuring of the PCHRB. On April 25, 1989 the Human Rights Commission (HRC) was ordained by the City of Newport News.

The purpose of the HRC is to safeguard all individuals within the City from unlawful discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status or disability, in places of public accommodation, including educational institutions and in real estate transaction; in employment; to preserve the public safety, health and general welfare; and to further the interests, rights and privileges of individuals within the city; and protect citizens of the City against unfounded charges of unlawful discrimination.

CURRENT AND PAST CHAIRPErsONS

Charles Turner (1984 -1985)    Louise Beveridge (1985-1987)

Louise Bazemore (1987-1990)    Cary Sternberg (1990)

James Temple, Jr. (1990-1994)    IkeMcDonald (1994-1996)

Carl Mericle (1996-1997)    Sharon Richardson (1997-1999)

Dr. Lawrence Sacks (1999-2001)   Dr. Sam Morton (2001 - Present)

 

Recipients of Annual Human Rights Award

1991 -Dr. William Harvey, Dr. M. Ivory Jefferson, Cary E. Sternberg, Y.B. Williams, Jr., Father Ralph E. Haines, III

1992 -William M. Grace, Flora Davis Crittenden, Jessie Menifield Rattley, Augusta Banks Edwards

1993 -James A. Johnson,  Dr. Anthony R. Santoro, Walter S. Segaloff, Rev. J. Harold McKeithen, Jr.

1994 -Danny Cox, Calvin A. Hobson, Emmagene Slade, Harriet N. Storm, Newport News L.I.N.K., Youth Challenge

1995 -Marian S. Carrington, Bernie Gillott, Anna Lee Kahn Goldfarb, Rev. Chip Giessler, Girl=s Incorporated of Greater Peninsula

1996 -Stephanie R. Iverson, Joan Lee Burcher Green, Amam Muhammad Asadi, Dr. Marcellus Lee Harris, Jr.

 1997 -Edna V. Davis, Julian & Nina Franklin, Dr. Patricia Woodbury, Wyatt A  Collins (In Memoriam), North Avenue Newport News Civic League

1998 -The Minutemen Taskforce, Dr. Lawrence Bethel (In Memoriam), Denyce Clark and Michael Harris, Lynne Finding, Kathryn Grayson, and Barbara Harris

1999 - Mr. Dennis Patterson and, The 2434A Neighborhood Council

2000 - 2003 - No awards presented

1Rosa Terry, Facilitator   ((757)245-3271, ext. 315

(Click here to return to top of page)

 

    Emmagene Slade, Director

Community Programs Staff

The "Clean Desk" Award Winner - Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!