Source: http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/documents/poolersettle.php
Timestamp: 2014-10-01 16:52:47
Document Index: 73140093

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 3601', '§ 3604', '§ 3604', '§ 3617', '§ 3614', '§ 1331', '§ 3614']

Order resolving United States v. City of Pooler, GA (S.D. Ga.)
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,	Plaintiff,	v.	CIVIL ACTION NO. CV401-263
THE CITY OF POOLER, GA	Defendant.	SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND DISMISSAL ORDER
The United States initiated this action on November 13, 2001, to enforce the provisions of the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 3601, et seq. The United States alleges in its Complaint and Amended Complaint that the Defendant, the City of Pooler, intentionally discriminated on the basis of race or color in violation of the Fair Housing Act by refusing to permit and opposing the construction of 68-units of elderly low-income tax credit rental housing in Pooler, Georgia because
it believed that the development would attract black residents. The United States alleges in its Complaint and Amended Complaint that the City's conduct made housing unavailable and denied dwellings to persons because of race or color in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 3604(a) and interfered with persons in the exercise or enjoyment of, or on account of having exercised or enjoyed, or on account of having aided or encouraged any other person in the exercise or enjoyment of, any right granted or protected by 42 U.S.C. § 3604, in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 3617, thereby denying to a group of persons rights granted by the Fair Housing Act and raising an issue of general public importance,
pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 3614(a). The United States believes that the allegations in the Complaint and Amended Complaint justify the remedies agreed to by the parties and set forth below. The City of Pooler has denied and continues to deny any racial motivation or improper motives. The City contends that the reason the project in question was not supported was for
legitimate/non-discriminatory reasons. While the City is prepared to defend this action through litigation, the City realizes that such litigation will be expensive. The City prefers to use its
resources in more productive endeavors. Therefore, the City and the United States have agreed to resolve this matter as set forth below.
The United States and the City agree that the City revised its Zoning Ordinance on November 19, 2001 to eliminate the minimum floor area requirements for multifamily dwellings, to increase the height of buildings in R-3A, R-3B and R-3C zoning districts to 45 feet, and to increase the number of residential units per Net Acre as follows: 12 units per net acre in R-3A zoning districts, 16 units per net acre in R-3B zoning districts, and 20 units per net acre in R-3C zoning districts. The United States and the City also agree that all current elected officials of the City have voluntarily
received training on the requirements of the Fair Housing Act.
The City and the United States desire to avoid costly and protracted litigation and agree that this action should be compromised, settled and resolved without further litigation. Nothing in this agreement is or will be construed as an admission of any wrongdoing by the City of Pooler. Therefore, the City and the United States have agreed to the entry of this Settlement Agreement and Dismissal Order ("Agreement and Order") regarding claims against the City.
The following terms when used in this Agreement and Order, in addition to terms defined elsewhere in the Agreement and Order, shall have the following meaning:
"Affordable Housing" refers to housing units that households earning less than 80% of the Area Median Income can rent without spending more than 30% of their income on rent;
"the City" and "the City of Pooler" refer to the City of Pooler, its employees, elected or appointed officials, officers, agents, and any and all persons or entities acting in concert or participation with the City of Pooler;
"DCA" refers to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs;
"Effective Date of the Agreement and Order" refers to the date the Court enters the
Agreement and Order;
"Elderly Household" refers to a household in which the head of household is at least
62 years of age;
"Annual Gross Income" refers to the definition used by the LIHTC program;
"LIHTC" program refers to the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit program;
"Area Median Income" refers to the definition used by the LIHTC program;
"Net Residential Land Area" refers to the definition in the Chatham County Zoning
"QAP" refers to the State of Georgia Qualified Allocation Plan for Low Income
Housing Tax Credits; and
"Scoring Criteria" refers to the criteria detailed in the QAP by which points are assigned for the purpose of ranking the LIHTC applications and providing the basis
upon which DCA offers funding to applications. II.
The Parties stipulate and the Court finds that the Court has personal jurisdiction over the City for purposes of this civil action, and subject matter jurisdiction over the claims in the civil action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1345, and 42 U.S.C. § 3614(a). The United States and the City are bound by the terms of this decree.
The provisions of this Agreement and Order apply to the City of Pooler, its employees, elected or appointed officials, officers, agents, and any and all persons or entities acting in concert or participation with the City of Pooler.
This Agreement and Order shall remain in effect until whichever one of the following occurs first:
four full LIHTC application cycles from the date of entry of this Agreement and Order, or the provisions of Section IV of the Agreement and Order have been fully implemented, and construction of the 68 units covered by this Agreement and Order is completed and either 1) a certificate of occupancy has been issued for all 68 units
or 2) the 68 units reach Stabilization as defined by the LIHTC program.
The Court retains jurisdiction over the action for the duration of this Agreement and Order for the purpose of enforcing any of its provisions and terms.
The parties agree to work cooperatively with one another and in good faith and agree to use their best efforts to effectuate the purposes of the Agreement and Order and to resolve
informally any differences regarding interpretation of and compliance with the Agreement and Order prior to bringing such matters to the Court for resolution. Throughout this Agreement and Order, where there are references to an objection by the United States, any
such objection shall be resolved in accordance with this paragraph 6.
The parties shall have the right to seek from the Court relevant modifications of the Agreement and Order to ensure that its purposes are fully satisfied, provided that any request
for a modification has been preceded by good faith negotiations between the parties. The parties may agree in writing to modify the deadlines established by this Agreement and Order without Court approval. III.
In accordance with the laws of the United States, the City agrees that it will not:
deny or otherwise make unavailable a dwelling because of race or color;
discriminate in the terms, conditions or privileges of the sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services or facilities in connection therewith, because of race
or color;
coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with any person in the exercise or enjoyment of, or on account of his having exercised or enjoyed, or on account of his having
aided or encouraged any other person in the exercise or enjoyment of, any right protected by the Fair Housing Act;
interfere with the funding, development or construction of any Affordable Housing because of race or color; or
discriminate on the basis of race or color in any aspect of the administration of its zoning process relating to residential property.
DEVELOPMENT OF 68 LOW INCOME HOUSING
UNITS IN POOLER FOR ELDERLY HOUSEHOLDS
The City shall use its best efforts to ensure the construction of 68 new rental housing units in the City of Pooler for Elderly Households whose Annual Gross Income is 50% or less of
the Area Median Income. The gross rents for these units will be consistent with gross rents permitted by the LIHTC program for persons earning 50% or less of the Area Median
Income. The units created pursuant to this Agreement and Order shall be located in the City of Pooler, Georgia on a site to be agreed upon by both parties. The City's obligation to use its best efforts shall continue throughout the term of this Agreement and Order. The City shall use its best efforts to seek financial assistance from the Georgia DCA LIHTC program for construction of the 68 units, beginning with the year 2004 competition, at the
latest, and continuing through the year 2007 competition, or until construction of the 68 units is funded, whichever i