# Presentation: 263331

##  FHEO

- Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity

**Briefing for Georgia Elected Officials**
**February 1, 2007 **
**Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center**
***FAIR HOUSING!  IT’S NOT AN OPTION.  *****IT’S THE LAW!!**

## Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity  (FHEO)

- Enforces the Fair Housing Act and other civil rights laws
- Ensures the right to equal housing opportunity and fair housing choice without discrimination
- Promotes & ensures equal opportunity in all HUD-assisted programs

## FHEO’s Mission

-   Our enforcement of the law covers most
-  housing transaction in the United States

## FHEO MISSION

- Investigate complaints of housing discrimination/ initiate enforcement
- Promote fair housing education and outreach
- Monitor recipients of _**Federal financial assistance**_
- Ensure compliance with _**civil rights laws**_

## Federal Financial Assistance

- Includes grants, loans, and advances of Federal funds
- Any Federal agreement, arrangement, or other contract that intends, as one of its purposes, to provide assistance.
- NOTE:  Does not include Tenant-Based Section 8 voucher (subsidy tied to tenant)

## FHAP

_**Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP**_**)** reimburses State & local agencies that enforce laws substantially equivalent to the Fair Housing Act.
- There are 103 FHAP Agencies (That includes 36 States,including the District of Columbia, and 67 localities).

**Notes:**
As of 

## Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity   Gordon Joyner, Executive Director/AdministratorMartin Luther King Jr., DriveAtlanta, Georgia  30303Tele: ( 800)673-4736

## FHIP

_**Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP**_**)** provides funding to nonprofits, community groups, & faith-based organizations to carry out private enforcement & education.
- In 2006, $20.3 million was awarded to 113 Grantees across the country.

**Notes:**
As of 

## Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP)

- provides funding to FHAPs, other local gov’t agencies, and private entities carrying out programs  to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices.

## FHIP Activities

- Conduct education and outreach
- Conduct preliminary investigation                    of allegations of housing discrimination
- File Fair Housing complaints with HUD
- Testing
- Represent Complainants

## JC Vision and Associates, Inc.   Dana Ingram, Executive Director135-C East Martin Luther King Jr., DriveP.O. Box 1972Hinesville, Georgia  31310Tele: (912) 877-4243Fax: (912) 877-4274 

## Savannah-Chatham County Fair Housing Council David Wayne Dawson, Executive Director7 Drayton Street, Suite #206Savannah, Georgia 31401Tele: (912) 651-3136Fax: (912) 651-3137Toll Free: (888) 570-5082 

## FHEO Organizational Structure

- 10 Regional Offices
- Regional FHEO Office located in Atlanta
- Receives all housing discrimination inquiries
- 3 FHEO Centers:  Atlanta, Miami, & Louisville.
- 12 Local HUD Offices (Miami, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Puerto Rico, Knoxville, Memphis, Columbia, Greensboro, Jackson, Birmingham, Louisville)
- Investigate cases involving Respondents receiving Federal financial assistance and reactivated
- HUD Partners: FHAP & FHIP Agencies

## Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

- prohibits housing discrimination because of
- 	in programs and activities _**receiving**_
- 	_**federal financial assistance**_
- File within 180 days of the alleged act

- Race
- Color
- National Origin

## Race
Color
Religion
Sex

- Color
- Religion
- Sex

- Handicap (disability)
- Familial status
- National Origin

- Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended by the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 (the Fair Housing Act)

- prohibits housing discrimination because of:

-  File within 365 days of the alleged act

## Section 109 of Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974

- No person shall be excluded from participation in, denied benefits of, or subjected to discrimination under _**any program or activity receiving community development funds**_** **because of
- File within 180 days of the alleged act

**Race**
**Color**
**Religion**

**Sex**
**National Origin**

## Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

- No qualified individual with a _**disability**_ shall be excluded from participation in, denied benefits of, or subjected to discrimination under _**any program receiving HUD funds**_
- File within 180 days of the alleged act

## Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) 

- Prohibits discrimination on the basis of _**disability**_ by public entities
- Applies to _**all**_ services, programs, and activities provided or made available by _**public entities**_*****
- Includes all activities of State and local governments whether or not they receive Federal funds
- File within 180 days of the alleged act
- **Private entities such as hotels, restaurants, theaters, retail stores, doctors’ offices, recreation facilities, etc. are covered by title III of the ADA

## Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 

- Ensure that economic opportunities (Jobs, training, & contracts) resulting from _**HUD financial assistance**_ will be directed to _**low and very low-income persons**_  - particularly those receiving government assistance for housing.
- File within 180 days of the alleged act

## Slide 20

## Slide 21

## Slide 22

## Conciliations:
82 conciliated cases provided monetary relief for the complainant for a total of $382K; 
53 cases withdrawn with a settlement - complainants received monetary relief for a total amount of $19,100

- 82 conciliated cases provided monetary relief for the complainant for a total of $382K;
- 53 cases withdrawn with a settlement - complainants received monetary relief for a total amount of $19,100

## Public interest Settlements.  
   Bishop v. Fifth Third Bank, the Respondent provided  in loans, grants and other financial support to improve the participation of minority borrowers.    
   In Gouisha, Medester v. Kentucky Housing Corporation,  $4,000,000 over a two year period for victims of domestic violence and homeless families.
O’Neill v. Astralis Condo Association,  a $1,000,000 bond in support of the design and construction improvements. 

-    Bishop v. Fifth Third Bank, the Respondent provided  in loans, grants and other financial support to improve the participation of minority borrowers.
-    In Gouisha, Medester v. Kentucky Housing Corporation,  $4,000,000 over a two year period for victims of domestic violence and homeless families.
- O’Neill v. Astralis Condo Association,  a $1,000,000 bond in support of the design and construction improvements.

## Questions??   Contacts

- JCVision, (912) 877-4243 (FHIP)
-  Savannah Chatham FHC, 888-570-5082 (FHIP)
- Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity, 800-473-6736 (FHAP)
- US HUD NATIONAL DISCRIMINATION HOTLINE:  800-669-9777
- HUD REGION IV Discrimination Hotline
- 	800-440-8091