I think it would have to be the passing of the open housing ordinance - we had no ordinance prohibiting discrimination in housing,' Thomas said.

Yet a high portion are here illegally, some take jobs from local residents, and many violate local housing ordinances.

It was Cox who, in 1972, proposed the city's open housing ordinance after the Broward County Commission failed to pass one.

In this same time frame, the NAACP requested an open housing ordinance.

The commission was authorized to draft open housing ordinance.

In the settlement, the village agreed to rewrite the housing ordinance.

A few days later, with the city's fine approaching $1 million a day, two of the Councilmen changed their votes and permitted the housing ordinance to pass.

After a number of protests and an extensive public campaign, the city passed its first fair housing ordinance in 1963.

I fought the housing ordinance as long and hard as the most die-hard opponents.

That same year after the City Commission refused to adopt an open housing ordinance, he threatened to resign as Mayor.