A general meeting of the City of Orlando CHAPTER 57 REVIEW BOARD was held on THURSDAY, April 9,
2015 at City Hall, 400 South Orange Avenue, 2nd Floor Veterans Conference Room in Orlando, FL 32801.
A quorum was met and the meeting was called to order at 9:50 a.m. by Bassem Chaaban, Board Chair.
The Board reviewed and approved the March 12, 2015 minutes; motion made by Louis Preston, Jr. and
seconded by Wanda Bonet-Gascot.
Record of Attendance –
 Board Members: Bassem Chaaban, Board Chair; Ginger Malcom, Board Vice Chair; Nathaniel
Friends; Wanda Bonet-Gascot; Louis Preston, Jr.; Alfreda Forshee; Ron Nesbitt
 City of Orlando Staff: Patricia Newton, Assistant to Director/Human Relations Official; Carmen I.
Feliciano, Human Relations Specialist, Board Secretary; David Gillespie, Fair Housing
Investigator; Marcia Hope Goodwin, Chief of Staff/Director
Citizen Advisory Board’s Contact Information Update Form
Carmen Feliciano handed out the form for each Board member to update their contact information as
requested by the City Clerk.
Appeal Hearing – Portis, Wayman vs Oak Grove Apartments, et al
Having heard the facts presented by David Gillespie (Fair Housing Investigator) in the above housing
complaint, and questions ensued, Ron Nesbitt made a motion and it was seconded by Ginger Malcom to
adopt the no cause finding of the Human Relations Official. The Board voted unanimously that there
was no reasonable cause to believe that a violation of Title VIII of the Fair Housing Act, as amended, and
Chapter 57 of the Code of the City of Orlando had occurred.
Board Chair – Update
Bassem Chaaban, Board Chair, updated the Board about the outreach event to engage Orlando citizens
in a community forum/town hall meeting. Several Board members met on March 19, 2015, to discuss
the scope, objectives and purpose of the outreach event, and brainstormed about organizations,
agencies, communities, community leaders, law enforcement, and faith leaders to engage. The Board
agreed to solicit the support of Valencia College, the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education
Center of Florida, and the NAACP, and other local groups for content and financial support.
Upcoming City Events
Bassem Chaaban reminded the Board of the following upcoming events and encouraged each member
to attend.
 Florida Fair Housing Summit, Friday April 24th, 7:45 am – 5 p m
Alfreda Forshee and Ginger Malcom gave testimonials about last year’s Florida Fair Housing Summit and
the educational benefits they received by attending.
o Bassem Chaaban and Louis Preston, Jr. agreed to attend the event in the morning.
o Wanda Bonet-Gascot stated she is available to attend during the lunch session.
o Nathaniel Friends, Ginger Malcom and Alfreda Forshee can attend the event the
full-day.
 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
Marcia Hope Goodwin addressed the Board, asking if they were willing to help plan the City’s 50th
anniversary celebration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Board unanimously agreed to support the
celebration and suggested having the event on Thursday, August 6th (the actual date President Lyndon B.
Johnson signed the Act into law) at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall’s Rotunda. In addition, the Board suggested
the showing of a short documentary in Council Chambers of the actual signing of the law and the
incidents surrounding its enactment.
Adjourn
All Board members agreed to meet on Thursday, May 14, 2015 at 9:30 a.m. and there being no further
business to come before the Chapter 57 Review Board, the meeting was adjourned at 11 a.m.; motion
made by Alfreda Forshee and seconded by Ginger Malcom.
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Carmen I. Feliciano, Recording Secretary
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Date