Columbus Gay Real Estate

Italian Village - Street Sweeping Is Tomorrow, Don't Get Towed!

2013-05-14T14:50:00.002-04:00

Street Sweeping is tomorrow!

Italian Villagers,

The first street sweeping of the season will be tomorrow, Wednesday, May 15 on the south and west sides of some of our streets. Please pay attention to signage when you park on the street tonight because vehicles must be moved by 8AM tomorrow in street sweeping areas or you will either get a ticket or your car will be towed.

Sign up for text message reminders at http://www.italianvillage.org/dontgettowed.html!

HRC: With Rhode Island, 50 Million Americans Will Now Live in Marriage Equality States

2013-05-02T22:35:00.000-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 2, 2013Paul Guequierre

With Rhode Island, 50 Million Americans Will Now Live in Marriage Equality States

Gov. Lincoln Chafee to immediately sign the bill at historic ceremony on steps of State Capitol

WASHINGTON – Today the Rhode Island state House passed marriage equality legislation, putting the Ocean State on track to become the tenth state in America where gay and lesbian couples can legally marry. The legislation, which passed with bipartisan support, will be signed into law by Gov. Lincoln Chafee later today in a historic signing ceremony on the steps of the Rhode Island State House.

"The unprecedented momentum for marriage across the country continues, with Rhode Island becoming the first state of 2013 to say yes to marriage equality,” said Human Rights Campaign (HRC) president Chad Griffin. “As the Supreme Court deliberates the fundamental right to marry the person you love, these historic and bipartisan victories keep mounting and prove the country is ready for marriage equality."

The House passed a modified version of legislation it had previously passed in January, which was then amended and passed by the Senate last week. Same-sex couples in Rhode Island can begin applying for marriage licenses August 1, 2013.

The nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization, HRC has been an integral financial and strategic player in winning marriage in each of the ten states and DC. In Rhode Island, HRC has provided significant financial investment and technical resources over many years to amplify the historic grassroots effort of the Rhode Islanders United for Marriage coalition.

“For several years HRC has been a true partner in Rhode Island’s efforts to win marriage equality in the Ocean State,” said Rhode Islanders United for Marriage campaign manager Ray Sullivan. “HRC provided us with key boots on-the-ground that added to our state’s unprecedented grassroots campaign to win marriage. Thank you, HRC.”

The passage of marriage equality in Rhode Island comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to hand down decisions on two marriage-related cases by the end of June. Hollingsworth v. Perry challenges the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8, and United States v. Windsor, challenges the so-called Defense of Marriage Act.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

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10TV Video - Realtor Warns of New Real Estate Scam

2013-04-25T12:12:00.001-04:00

The link to the story is here

The link to help renters mentioned in the story is here

A new real estate scam is targeting would-be tenants and their hard-earned cash.

It surprised even an experienced realtor, and nearly cost a young couple big.

Brian Barker and Jaime DeBois spent Wednesday night packing up their Grandview apartment, preparing for a move to the Short North.

"It was a big weight off our shoulders to finally find a place," says Barker.

Especially after the bullet they dodged during their search. While apartment shopping online, they thought they'd found a perfect place in an Italian Village rental on 2nd street. So they responded to the ad.

"We started to correspond," Barker says, "and the emails were a little strange, so I just decided to drive past the house one day. And I saw that it had the 'for sale' sign, so I decided to give the realtor a call."

Terry Penrod was that realtor. "I got a couple of phone calls asking me if the unit was for sale or for rent. And I said 'no, this unit is definitely for sale.' And they said, 'well, it's on the internet for rent,' which raised my eyebrows very quickly."

Penrod says someone swiped his online listing, even using the photo he'd posted.

But they listed it for rent, at a too-good-to-be-true price.

"For $800 a month, this would be a huge buy," says Penrod. "Someone's scamming the system and trying to get people to send in an application fee or first month's rent."

"And that's how we kind of obviously found out that whoever I was corresponding with wasn't the owner," says Barker.

Penrod says in 20 years in real estate, he's seen a lot of scams, but this is a new one.

Brian and Jaime happily didn't fall victim, but fear someone else might.

"I always thought I was doing pretty good due diligence in weeding out the scams versus what's actually real," says Barker, "but it shows you that even on a legitimate website where there are legitimate people on there posting houses for sale, people can sneak these things in."

Penrod contacted police, but says he was told since money didn't actually change hands, there wasn't much they could do.

Watch 10TV News and refresh 10TV.com for the latest.

HRC - 40,000 People Say It’s Time to End Discriminatory Ban on Gay Scouts, Scout Leaders, and Parents

2013-04-24T13:59:00.001-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 24, 2013
Paul Guequierre

40,000 People Say It’s Time to End Discriminatory Ban on Gay Scouts, Scout Leaders, and Parents

14,000 Scouting families in all 50 states are ready for inclusive scouting

WASHINGTON – With the discriminatory ban on gay Scouts up for a vote by leaders of the Boy Scouts of America next month, over 40,000 people have signed HRC’s petition calling on their local Boy Scouts of America council to vote in favor of a national policy prohibiting discrimination against gay Scouts and Scout Leaders. Of those 40,000 people, 14,000 are Boy Scouts or in a Scouting family and 1,600 are Eagle Scouts.

“Tens of thousands of Americans have spoken up to declare that the Boy Scouts of America have a moral duty to be inclusive,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Americans of all stripes are urging the BSA to seize this moment to live up to its own creed.”

Last week, the BSA Executive Committee sent a resolution to representatives from the organization’s nearly 300 local councils which would establish a non-discrimination policy ending the longstanding ban on gay Scouts, while keeping discriminatory practices in place for gay and lesbian parents, Scout leaders, and in employment. 1,400 members of the local councils will vote on the resolution at the annual meeting the week of May 20.

This week, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) sent a letter to the Boy Scouts of America calling on leadership to end the ban. The letter said in part, “[W]e call on you to end the ban for the betterment of all young men. We urge you to recognize the importance of Scouts for all boys and the critical need for volunteer leaders, and end discrimination towards adult leaders based on sexual orientation and gender identity.” For more than a decade, the American Medical Association has called the ban on gay Scouts potentially psychologically traumatizing.

HRC’s recent survey of LGBT youth reinforces the need to remove obstacles to full participation in extracurricular activities like the Boy Scouts: 64% of LGBT teens (compared to just 47% of non-LGBT teens) report that they never participate in afterschool or other recreational activities. Exclusion from Scouting negatively impacts the overall well-being and sense of community connection among LGBT youth.

Sign HRC’s petition at: www.hrc.org/BSA.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

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"Don't Get Towed" flyering volunteers needed for Italian Village

2013-04-23T16:15:00.001-04:00

"Don't Get Towed" flyering volunteers needed!

Italian Villagers,

Street sweeping in our neighborhood will occur Wednesday, May 15 and Tuesday, May 21. In preparation, we will put reminder flyers on cars the Sunday prior to the first May street sweeping day, which is May 12. I am looking for some volunteers who are able to place flyers on car windshields that day. We aim for early morning or late evening because most cars are still parked. The time commitment would be approximately 1 hour, and you choose exactly when that day you flyer your assigned area.

Please let me know if you are interested by emailing me at italianvillage@shortnorthblockwatch.org by next Tuesday, April 30. I will follow-up with you about your area or preference and other details.

Amelia Costanzo
Short North Block Watch Coordinator
Italian Village Captain

on behalf of the Short North Block Watch