HUD, Harris Co. negotiate agreement for equitable disaster recovery funds usage
Agreement requires Harris Co. to allow HUD oversight of fund used for mandatory buyout program.
BlackNewsPortal
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it has entered into a Voluntary Compliance Agreement/Conciliation Agreement to resolve allegations that Harris County discriminated on the basis of race and national origin in the design and operation of its Post-Disaster Relocation and Buyout Program.
The complaint alleged that the county operated a mandatory buyout program in predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods while offering voluntary buyouts and other hazard mitigation alternatives to majority-white neighborhoods with comparable flood risk.
“Buyout programs are important tools that help families relocate from disaster-prone areas but cannot be used in a discriminatory way that adversely impacts vulnerable communities of color,” said HUD’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Diane M. Shelby. “HUD remains committed to equitable disaster recovery and resilience, and to ensuring that disaster recovery funds provided by HUD are administered consistent with applicable civil rights laws.”
Area activist Jonathan Shipman said it would be a mistake for Houston-area Blacks to see this agreement as a purely Hispanic rights issue.
“Though this agreement helps our Brown brothers and sisters fight off race-based discrimination, it helps us African Americans too,” said Shipman. “When money is involved, they’ll try to take advantage of one group today and another group tomorrow.
“Hopefully, this agreement will stop or at least slowdown people who try to take advantage of people of color, especially after a disaster.”
The agreement requires Harris County to provide remaining acquisition targets of its current mandatory buyout program with a “Notice of Rights,” including the right to appeal the county’s buyout of their home.
The notice, which will be provided in Spanish and English, also advises acquisition targets of their right to file a complaint of discrimination with HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.
The agreement also requires that Harris County submit for HUD review and approval any future proposal to use HUD disaster recovery funds to undertake a mandatory buyout. As part of its submission to HUD, Harris County must provide a discussion of steps it will take to ensure that the proposed buyout program does not result in discrimination.
The county denies the allegations of discrimination and HUD has made no findings of discrimination under the Act, Title VI, or Section 109. According to a statement, Harris County entered the agreement solely as a means of satisfactorily resolving the dispute.
The agreement resolves the complaint filed against the county under the Fair Housing Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974.
People who believe they are the victims of housing discrimination should contact HUD at (800) 667-9777 or (800) 927-9275. Additional information is available at hud.gov/fairhousing.
