Title 24—Housing and Urban Development--Volume 1
PART 6—NONDISCRIMINATION IN PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES RECEIVING ASSISTANCE UNDER TITLE I OF THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1974
§ 6.1   Purpose.
The purpose of this part is to implement the provisions of section 109 of title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (Title I) (42 U.S.C. 5309). Section 109 provides that no person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, national origin, religion, or sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity funded in whole or in part with Federal financial assistance. Section 109 does not directly prohibit discrimination on the bases of age or disability, and the regulations in this part 6 do not apply to age or disability discrimination in Title I programs. Instead, section 109 directs that the prohibitions against discrimination on the basis of age under the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 6101-6107) (Age Discrimination Act) and the prohibitions against discrimination on the basis of disability under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794) (Section 504) apply to programs or activities funded in whole or in part with Federal financial assistance. Thus, the regulations of 24 CFR part 8, which implement Section 504 for HUD programs, and the regulations of 24 CFR part 146, which implement the Age Discrimination Act for HUD programs, apply to disability and age discrimination in Title I programs.
§ 6.2   Applicability.
(a) This part applies to any program or activity funded in whole or in part with funds under title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, including Community Development Block Grants—Entitlement, State and HUD-Administered Small Cities, and Section 108 Loan Guarantees; Urban Development Action Grants; Economic Development Initiative Grants; and Special Purpose Grants.
(b) The provisions of this part and sections 104(b)(2) and 109 of Title I that relate to discrimination on the basis of race shall not apply to the provision of Federal financial assistance by grantees under this title to the Hawaiian Homelands (42 U.S.C. 5309).
(c) The provisions of this part and sections 104(b)(2) and 109 of Title I that relate to discrimination on the basis of race and national origin shall not apply to the provision of Federal financial assistance to grant recipients under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (25 U.S.C. 4101). See also, 24 CFR 1003.601(a).
§ 6.3   Definitions.
The terms Department, HUD, and Secretary are defined in 24 CFR part 5. Other terms used in this part 6 are defined as follows:
Act means the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended (42 U.S.C. 5301-5320).
Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.
Award Official means the HUD official who has been delegated the Secretary's authority to implement a Title I funded program and to make grants under that program.
Complete complaint means a written statement that contains the complainant's name and address, identifies the Recipient against which the complaint is made, and describes the Recipient's alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform HUD of the nature and date of the alleged violation of section 109. It shall be signed by the complainant or by someone authorized to do so on his or her behalf. Complaints filed on behalf of classes or third parties shall describe or identify (by name, if possible) the alleged victims of discrimination.
Federal financial assistance means: (1) Any assistance made available under title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended, and includes income generated from such assistance, and any grant, loan, contract, or any other arrangement, in the form of:
(i) Funds;
(ii) Services of Federal personnel; or
(iii) Real or personal property or any interest in or use of such property, including:
(A) Transfers or leases of the property for less than fair market value or for reduced consideration; and
(B) Proceeds from a subsequent transfer or lease of the property if the Federal share of its fair market value is not returned to the Federal Government.
(2) Any assistance in the form of proceeds from loans guaranteed under section 108 of the Act, but does not include assistance made available through direct Federal procurement contracts or any other contract of insurance or guaranty.
Program or activity (funded in whole or in part) means all of the operations of—
(1)(i) A department, agency, special purpose district, or other instrumentality of a State or local government; or
(ii) The entity of a State or local government that distributes Federal financial assistance, and each department or agency (and each State or local government entity) to which the assistance is extended, in the case of assistance to a State or local government;
(2)(i) A college, university, or other post-secondary institution, or a public system of higher education; or
(ii) A local educational agency (as defined in section 198(a)(10) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965), system of vocational education or other school system;
(3)(i) An entire corporation, partnership, or other private organization, or an entire sole proprietorship—
(A) If assistance is extended to the corporation, partnership, private organization, or sole proprietorship as a whole; or
(B) Which is principally engaged in the business of providing education, health care, housing, social services, or parks and recreation; or
(ii) The entire plant or other comparable, geographically separate facility to which Federal financial assistance is extended, in the case of any other corporation, partnership, private organization, or sole proprietorship; or
(4) Any other entity that is described in paragraphs (1), (2), or (3) of this definition, any part of which is extended Federal financial assistance.
Recipient means any State, political subdivision of any State, or instrumentality of any State or political subdivision; any public or private agency, institution, organization, or other entity; or any individual, in any State, to whom Federal financial assistance is extended, directly or through another Recipient, for any program or activity, or who otherwise participates in carrying out such program or activity, including any successor, assign, or transferee thereof. Recipient does not include any ultimate beneficiary under any program or activity.
Responsible Official means the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity or his or her designee.
Section 109 means section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended.
Title I means title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301-5321).
§ 6.4   Discrimination prohibited.
(a) Section 109 requires that no person in the United States shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity funded in whole or in part with Federal financial assistance, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, religion, or sex.
(1) A Recipient under any program or activity to which this part applies may not, directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements, take any of the following actions on the grounds of race, color, national origin, religion, or sex:
(i) Deny any individual any facilities, services, financial aid, or other benefits provided under the program or activity;
(ii) Provide any facilities, services, financial aid, or other benefits that are different, or are provided in a different form, from that provided to others under the program or activity;
(iii) Subject an individual to segregated or separate treatment in any facility, or in any matter of process related to the receipt of any service or benefit under the program or activity;
(iv) Restrict an individual's access to, or enjoyment of, any advantage or privilege enjoyed by others in connection with facilities, services, financial aid or other benefits under the program or activity;
(v) Treat an individual differently from others in determining whether the individual satisfies any admission, enrollment, eligibility, membership, or other requirements or conditions that the individual must meet in order to be provided any facilities, services, or other benefit provided under the program or activity;
(vi) Deny an individual an opportunity to participate in a program or activity as an employee;
(vii) Aid or otherwise perpetuate discrimination against an individual by providing Federal financial assistance to an agency, organization, or person that discriminates in providing any housing, aid, benefit, or service;
(viii) Otherwise limit an individual in the enjoyment of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity enjoyed by other individuals receiving the housing, aid, benefit, or service;
(ix) Use criteria or methods of administration that have the effect of subjecting persons to discrimination or have the effect of defeating or substantially impairing accomplishment of the objectives of the program or activity with respect to persons of a particular race, color, national origin, religion, or sex; or
(x) Deny a person the opportunity to participate as a member of planning or advisory boards.
(2) In determining the site or location of housing, accommodations, or facilities, a Recipient may not make selections that have the effect of excluding persons from, denying them the benefits of, or subjecting them to discrimination on the ground of race, color, national origin, religion, or sex. The Recipient may not make selections that have the purpose or effect of defeating or substantially impairing the accomplishment of the objectives of section 109 and of this part 6.
(3)(i) In administering a program or activity in which the Recipient has discriminated on the grounds of race, color, national origin, religion or sex, the Recipient must take any necessary steps to overcome the effects of prior discrimination.
(ii) In the absence of discrimination, a Recipient, in administering a program or activity, may take any steps necessary to overcome the effects of conditions that resulted in limiting participation by persons of a particular race, color, national origin, religion, or sex.
(iii) After a finding of noncompliance, or after a Recipient has reasonable cause to believe that discrimination has occurred, a Recipient shall not be prohibited by this section from taking any action eligible under subpart C of 24 CFR part 570 to ameliorate an imbalance in benefits, services or facilities provided to any geographic area or specific group of persons within its jurisdiction, where the purpose of such action is to remedy discriminatory practices or usage.
(iv)(A) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this part, nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit any Recipient from maintaining or constructing separate living facilities or restroom facilities for the different sexes in order to protect personal privacy or modesty concerns. Furthermore, selectivity on the basis of sex is not prohibited when institutional or custodial services can, in the interest of personal privacy or modesty, only be performed by a member of the same sex as those receiving the services.
(B) Section 109 of the Act does not directly prohibit discrimination on the basis of age or disability, but directs that the prohibitions against discrimination on the basis of age under the Age Discrimination Act and the prohibitions against discrimination on the basis of disability under Section 504 apply to Title I programs and activities. Accordingly, for programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance, the regulations in this part 6 apply to discrimination on the bases of race, color, national origin, religion, or sex; the regulations at 24 CFR part 8 apply to discrimination on the basis of disability; and the regulations at 24 CFR part 146 apply to discrimination on the basis of age.
(b) [Reserved]
§ 6.5   Discrimination prohibited—employment.
(a) General. A Recipient may not, under any program or activity funded in whole or in part with Federal financial assistance, directly or through contractual agents or other arrangements including contracts and consultants, subject a person to discrimination in the terms and conditions of employment. Terms and conditions of employment include advertising, interviewing, selection, promotion, demotion, transfer, recruitment and advertising, layoff or termination, pay or other compensation, including benefits, and selection for training.
(b) Determination of compliance status. The Assistant Secretary will follow the procedures set forth in this part and 29 CFR part 1691 and look to the substantive guidelines and policy of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission when reviewing employment practices under Section 109.
§ 6.6   Records to be maintained.
(a) General. Recipients shall maintain records and data as required by 24 CFR 91.105, 91.115, 570.490, and 570.506.
(b) Employment. Recipients shall maintain records and data as required by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at 29 CFR part 1600.
(c) Recipients shall make available such records and any supporting documentation upon request of the Responsible Official.
§ 6.10   Compliance information.
(a) Cooperation and assistance. The Responsible Official and the Award Official will provide assistance and guidance to Recipients to help them comply voluntarily with this part.
(b) Access to data and other sources of information. Each Recipient shall permit access by authorized representatives of HUD to its facilities, books, records, accounts, minutes and audio tapes of meetings, personnel, computer disks and tapes, and other sources of information as may be pertinent to a determination of whether the Recipient is complying with this part. Where information required of a Recipient is in the exclusive possession of any other agency, institution, or person, and that agency, institution, or person fails or refuses to furnish this information, the Recipient shall so certify in any requested report and shall set forth what efforts it has made to obtain the information. Failure or refusal to furnish pertinent information (whether maintained by the Recipient or some other agency, institution, or person) without a credible reason for the failure or refusal will be considered to be noncompliance under this part.
(c) Compliance data. Each Recipient shall keep records and submit to the Responsible Official, timely, complete, and accurate data at such times and in such form as the Responsible Official may determine to be necessary to ascertain whether the Recipient has complied or is complying with this part.
(d) Notification to employees, beneficiaries, and participants. Each Recipient shall make available to employees, participants, beneficiaries, and other interested persons information regarding the provisions of this part and its applicability to the program or activity under which the Recipient receives Federal financial assistance and make such information available to them in such manner as the Responsible Official finds necessary to apprise such persons of the protections against discrimination assured them by Section 109 and this part.
§ 6.11   Conduct of investigations.
(a) Filing a complaint —(1) Who may file. Any person who believes that he or she has been subjected to discrimination prohibited by this part may file, or may have an authorized representative file on his or her behalf, a complaint with the Responsible Official. Any person who believes that any specific class of persons has been subjected to discrimination prohibited by this part and who is a member of that class or who is the authorized representative of a member of that class may file a complaint with the Responsible Official.
(2) Confidentiality. Generally, the Responsible Official shall hold in confidence the identity of any person submitting a complaint, unless the person submits written authorization otherwise. However, an exception to maintaining confidentiality of the identity of the person may be required to carry out the purposes of this part, including the conduct of any investigation, hearing, or proceeding under this part.
(3) When to file. Complaints shall be filed within 180 days of the alleged act of discrimination, unless the Responsible Official waives this time limit for good cause. For purposes of determining when a complaint is filed under this part, a complaint mailed to the Responsible Official via the U.S. Postal Service will be deemed filed on the date it is postmarked. A complaint delivered to the Responsible Official in any other manner will be deemed filed on the date it is received by the Responsible Official.
(4) Where to file complaints. Complaints must be in writing, signed, addressed to the Responsible Official, and filed with (mailed to or otherwise delivered to) the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at any HUD Office.
(5) Content of complaints. Each complaint should contain the complainant's name, address, and phone number; a description or name, if available, of the Recipient alleged to have violated this part; an address where the violation occurred; and a description of the Recipient's alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Responsible Official of the nature and date of the alleged violation of this part.
(6) Amendments to complaints. Amendments to complaints, such as clarification and amplification of allegations in a complaint or the addition of other Recipients, may be made by the complainant or the complainant's authorized representative at any time while the complaint is being considered, and any amendment shall be deemed to be made as of the original filing date.
(7) Notification. To the extent practicable, the Responsible Official will notify the complainant and the Recipient of the Responsible Official's receipt of a complaint within 10 calendar days of receipt of a complete complaint. If the Responsible Official receives a complaint that is not complete, the Responsible Official will notify the complainant and specify the additional information that is needed to make the complaint complete. If the complainant fails to complete the complaint, the Responsible Official will close the complaint without prejudice and notify the complainant. When a complete complaint has been received, the Responsible Official, or his or her designee, will assess the complaint for acceptance, rejection, or referral to an appropriate Federal agency within 20 calendar days.
(8) Resolution of complaints. After the acceptance of a complete complaint, the Responsible Official will investigate the complaint, attempt informal resolution, and, if resolution is not achieved, the Responsible Official will notify the Recipient and complainant, to the extent practicable within 180 days of the receipt of the complete complaint, of the results of the investigation in a letter of findings sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, containing the following:
(i) Findings of fact and a finding of compliance or noncompliance;
(ii) A description of an appropriate remedy for each violation believed to exist; and
(iii) A notice of the right of the Recipient and the complainant to request a review of the letter of findings by the Responsible Official. A copy of the final investigative report will be made available upon request.
(b) Compliance reviews —(1) Periodic compliance reviews. The Responsible Official may periodically review the practices of Recipients to determine whether they are complying with this part and may conduct on-site reviews. The Responsible Official will initiate an on-site review by sending to the Recipient a letter advising the Recipient of the practices to be reviewed; the programs affected by the review; and the opportunity, at any time before a final determination, to submit information that explains, validates, or otherwise addresses the practices under review. In addition, the Award Official will include, in normal program compliance reviews and monitoring procedures, appropriate actions to review and monitor compliance with general or specific program requirements designed to implement the requirements of this part.
(2) Time period of the review. (i) For the Entitlement program, compliance reviews will cover the three years before the date of the review.
(ii) For the Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG) program, the compliance review is applicable only to UDAG loan repayments or other payments or revenues classified as program income. UDAG repayments or other payments or revenues classified as miscellaneous revenue are not subject to compliance review under this part. ( See 24 CFR 570.500(a).) The compliance review will cover the time period that program income is being repaid.
(iii) For the State and HUD-Administered Small Cities programs, the compliance review will cover the four years before the date of the review.
(iv) For all other programs, the time period covered by the review will be four years before the date of the review.
(v) On a case-by-case basis, at the discretion of the Responsible Official, the above time frames for review can be expanded where facts or allegations warrant further investigation.
(3) Early compliance resolution. On the last day of the on-site visit, after the compliance review, the Recipient will be given an opportunity to supplement the record. Additionally, a prefinding conference may be held and a summary of the proposed findings may be presented to the Recipient. In those instances where the issue(s) cannot be resolved at a prefinding conference or with the supplemental information, a meeting will be scheduled to attempt a voluntary settlement.
(4) Notification of findings. (i) The Assistant Secretary will notify the Recipient of Federal financial assistance of the results of the compliance review in a letter of findings sent by certified mail, return receipt requested.
(ii) Letter of findings. The letter of findings will include the findings of fact and the conclusions of law; a description of a remedy for each violation found; and a notice that a copy of HUD's final report concerning its compliance review will be made available, upon request, to the Recipient.
(c) Right to a review of the letter of findings. (1) Within 30 days of receipt of the letter of findings, any party may request that a review be made of the letter of findings, by mailing or delivering to the Responsible Official, Room 5100, Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, HUD, Washington, DC 20410, a written statement of the reasons why the letter of findings should be modified.
(2) The Responsible Official will send by certified mail, return receipt requested, a copy of the request for review to all parties. Parties other than the party requesting review and HUD shall have 20 days from receipt to respond to the request for review.
(3) The Responsible Official will either sustain or modify the letter of findings or require that further investigation be conducted, within 60 days of the request for review. The Responsible Official's decision shall constitute the formal determination of compliance or noncompliance.
(4) If no party requests that the letter of findings be reviewed, the Responsible Official, within 14 calendar days of the expiration of the time period in paragraph (a)(9)(i) of this section, will send a formal written determination of compliance or noncompliance to all parties.
(d) Voluntary compliance time limits. The Recipient will have 10 calendar days from receipt of the letter of findings of noncompliance, or such other reasonable time as specified in the letter, within which to agree, in writing, to come into voluntary compliance or to contact the Responsible Official for settlement discussions. If the Recipient fails to meet this deadline, HUD will proceed in accordance with §§ 6.12 and 6.13.
(e) Informal resolution/voluntary compliance —(1) General. It is the policy of HUD to encourage the informal resolution of matters. A complaint or a compliance review may be resolved by informal means at any time. If a letter of findings is issued, and the letter makes a finding of noncompliance, the Responsible Official will attempt to resolve the matter through a voluntary compliance agreement.
(2) Objectives of informal resolution/voluntary compliance. In attempting informal resolution, the Responsible Official will attempt to achieve a just resolution of the matter and to obtain assurances, where appropriate, that the Recipient will satisfactorily remedy any violations of the rights of any complainant, and will take such action as will assure the elimination of any violation of this part or the prevention of the occurrence of such violation in the future. If a finding of noncompliance has been made, the terms of such an informal resolution shall be reduced to a written voluntary compliance agreement, signed by the Recipient and the Responsible Official, and be made part of the file. Such voluntary compliance agreements shall seek to protect the interests of the complainant (if any), other persons similarly situated, and the public.
(3) Right to file a private civil action. At any time in the process, the complainant has the right to file a private civil action. If the complainant does so, the Responsible Official has the discretion to administratively close the investigation or continue the investigation, if he or she decides that it is in the best interests of the Department to do so. If the Responsible Official makes a finding of noncompliance and an agreement to voluntarily comply is not obtained from the Recipient, the procedures at §§ 6.12 and 6.13 for effecting compliance shall be followed.
(f) Intimidatory or retaliatory acts prohibited. No Recipient or other person shall intimidate, threaten, coerce, or discriminate against any person for the purpose of interfering with any right or privilege secured by this part, or because he or she has made a complaint, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, compliance review, proceeding, or hearing under this part.
§ 6.12   Procedure for effecting compliance.
(a) Whenever the Assistant Secretary determines that a Recipient of Federal financial assistance has failed to comply with Section 109(a) or this part and voluntary compliance efforts have failed, the Secretary will notify the Governor of the State or the Chief Executive Officer of the unit of general local government of the findings of noncompliance and will request that the Governor or the Chief Executive Officer secure compliance. If within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed 60 days, the Governor or the Chief Executive Officer fails or refuses to secure compliance, the Secretary will:
(1) Refer the matter to the Attorney General with a recommendation that an appropriate civil action be instituted;
(2) Exercise the powers and functions provided by Title VI;
(3) Terminate or reduce payments under Title I, or limit the availability of payments under Title I to programs or activities not affected by the failure to comply; or
(4) Take such other actions as may be provided by law, including, but not limited to, the initiation of proceedings under 2 CFR part 2424 or any applicable proceeding under State or local law.
(b) Termination, reduction, or limitation of the availability of Title I payments. No order terminating, reducing, or limiting the availability of Title I payments under this part shall become effective until:
(1) The Secretary has notified the Governor of the State or the Chief Executive Officer of the unit of general local government of the Recipient's failure to comply in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section and of the termination, reduction or limitation of the availability of Title I payments to be taken;
(2) The Secretary has determined that compliance cannot be secured by voluntary means;
(3) The Recipient has been extended an opportunity for a hearing in accordance with § 6.13(a); and
(4) A final agency notice or decision has been rendered in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section or 24 CFR part 180.
(c) If a Recipient does not respond to the notice of opportunity for a hearing or does not elect to proceed with a hearing within 20 days of the issuance of the Secretary's actions listed in paragraphs (b)(1), (2) and (3) of this section, then the Secretary's approval of the termination, reduction or limitation of the availability of Title I payments is considered a final agency notice and the Recipient may seek judicial review in accordance with section 111(c) of the Act.
§ 6.13   Hearings and appeals.
(a) When a Recipient requests an opportunity for a hearing, in accordance with § 6.12(b)(3), the General Counsel will follow the notification procedures set forth in 24 CFR 180.415. The hearing, and any petition for review, will be conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in 24 CFR part 180.
(b) After a hearing is held and a final agency decision is rendered under 24 CFR part 180, the Recipient may seek judicial review in accordance with section 111(c) of the Act.