LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE
Today, October 20, 2008 is the last day to register to vote in the November 4 election. A registration form can be downloaded from sos.ca.gov/nvrc/fedform/. The form can be filled out and taken to the county elections office. In order to register to vote in California, a person must: be a citizen of the United States; be a resident of California; be at least 18 years old on the day of the next election; not be in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony; and not be deemed by an appropriate court to be mentally incompetent. Voters wishing to vote by mail must apply for a vote-by- mail ballot at least 7 days before an election, and the ballot must be received (not merely postmarked) by the close of polls (8pm) on Election Day. Nearly two-thirds of California's citizens with disabilities did not vote in the 2000 election. Persons with disabilities face challenges in voting because not all polling places are fully accessible and because voters may need special ballots or assistance in filling out the ballot. Some polling places allow curbside voting. Every registered voter receives notification if his or her polling place is accessible. This information is provided on the back page of the sample ballot mailed by the county. Voters with questions can call the local number on the back of the sample ballot booklet or call the CA Secretary of State's Voter Assistance hotline at 1-800-345-VOTE (8683). Pollworkers can use the accessibility checklist at the Secretary of State website: http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/corrected_final_ppasu pplement_march17.pdf.

SACRAMENTO CITY AND COUNTY TO GET FORECLOSURE AID
Because of the severe mortgage foreclosure problem in the Sacramento area, the city and county are receiving $32 million in federal funds to fix up foreclosed properties in distressed neighborhoods. It's one of the largest allocations of assistance in the nation from the federal housing bailout bill approved in July, and the money is expected to be enough to fix and sell more than 400 houses in the city and county. Among California cities, only Los Angeles will get more than the $13.3 million earmarked for Sacramento. The county will get $18.6 million-the third largest amount of any county in the state, behind Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Sacramento's share of the $3.92 billion national pie is larger than that of 20 states, according to the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency. The program intends to stabilize communities blighted by deteriorating, vacant houses. About 40 percent of the money will be used by SHRA to buy houses, fix them up and sell them to new buyers. "The city and county are becoming (real estate) flippers," said Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo, who appeared at a morning press briefing with county Supervisor Roger Dickinson. The rest of the money will be split between two programs:

• A portion will be used to pay fees to developers and contractors to buy houses and resell them.
• The remainder will go to developers who buy four- plexes and duplexes and rehabilitate them as rental housing for low-and very-low income tenants.

ANSWERED BY E-MAIL
You can e-mail us your tenant/landlord or fair housing questions please click the link below and we will answer your questions as soon as possible.questions?

2008 Fair Housing Handbooks are available at the county libraries, Commission satellite offices, police/sheriff service centers, code enforcement offices in Elk Grove, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, West Sacramento, Sacramento City and Sacramento County.
 

During normal business hours Commission satellite offices can be reached at these numbers: Citrus Heights (916) 727-4931, Rancho Cordova (pending) Elk Grove (916) 627-3497. If you are in need of information outside of normal business hours, please call our free automated information hotline at 916-444- 6903