[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 25, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E535]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE SERVICE OF NANCY KENYON

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. JARED HUFFMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 25, 2018

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Nancy Kenyon 
for her stellar leadership and exemplary public service as the founder 
and former executive director of Fair Housing of Marin, which is now 
Fair Housing of Northern California.
  In 1963, Ms. Kenyon joined the Fair Housing Council of Northern New 
Jersey, where she served for 12 years and rose to the rank of Housing 
Director. During this period, she led a number of initiatives, 
including the creation of a funding stream by U.S. Department of 
Housing and Urban Development to support efforts by fair housing 
organizations to end discriminatory housing practices, now known as the 
Fair Housing Initiative Program. She also supervised housing projects 
for the Ford Foundation and served as a training consultant for the 
States of New York and New Jersey.
  In 1979, she moved to California to assume the position of Researcher 
of the Special Contribution Fund of the San Francisco Chapter of The 
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Her 
research in this role helped the NAACP to successfully argue that the 
San Francisco Unified School District violated federal law in its 
maintenance and creation of a racial segregated school system, and she 
helped establish a citywide lottery affording every child regardless of 
race, color, national origin, or class the right to attend the most 
prestigious schools in the district.
  In 1984, Ms. Kenyon returned to her roots in enforcing fair housing 
laws and founded Fair Housing of Marin, where she would serve as 
Executive Director until her retirement in 2012. Under her leadership, 
Fair Housing of Marin grew from two part-time staff operating in a 
spare bedroom to a staff of 10 serving communities in Marin, Sonoma and 
Solano Counties.
  Ms. Kenyon's quest for fair housing has also been expressed in 
several published articles she authored, and her powerful advocacy has 
been recognized with numerous awards, most notably the 2005 National 
Pioneer of Fair Housing Award, and the Human Rights Award from the 
United Nations Association in Northwest Bergen County, New Jersey.
  Mr. Speaker, Ms. Kenyon is a respected leader and dedicated champion 
for equity. Please join me in expressing my deep appreciation and 
praise for her national leadership as Fair Housing of Northern 
California honors her as part of a celebration of the 50th anniversary 
of the Fair Housing Act.

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