Battle begins for Sarasota County HRO

Sarasota – Julia Nowak, an openly gay realtor, hopes signatures on a petition will show Sarasota County Commissioners that its residents want a Human Rights Ordinance (HRO).

The desire for the HRO came out of a conflict with 2013 Venice condo complex, Casa Di Amici, where Nowak rents her condo to her parents. Last summer, the property released a new restrictions that stated any couple—gay or straight—that is defined as being in a domestic partnership is barred from buying a home at Casa Di Amici. The condo complex said they do not want anyone “living in sin” in their complex.

In October 2013, Sarasota County voted 5-0 to create a countywide domestic partner registry that would provide access to essential family protections for any couple that is registered, which also includes same-sex couples. The county, however, does not have a HRO that protects from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

The condo itself is a part of the City of Venice, which too has a domestic partnership ordinance and a basic HRO that provides protections against LGBT individuals. This would have made it easier for Nowak to fight the policy, but the mailing address falls into unincorporated Sarasota County. Therefore, there are no legal protections.

About 12 percent of the residents who live in the condo complex are in, what is defined as, a domestic partnership. The complex reversed its decision early this year and now allows unmarried couples to live together.

Nowak has posted a petition online to gather signatures to show the importance of a HRO for Sarasota County to counter this policy and provide protection from future discriminatory policies.

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