COM 0891.000 2022-2024 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

The Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq., prohibits discrimination by direct providers of housing, such as landlords and real estate companies as well as other entities, such as municipalities, banks or other lending institutions and homeowners insurance companies whose discriminatory practices make housing unavailable to persons because of: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familal status, or disability. One of the central objectives of the Fair Housing Act, when Congress enacted it in 1968, was to prohibit race discrimination in sales and rentals of housing. Nevertheless, race discrimination in housing continues to be a problem. The Affirmatively Further Fair Housing (AFFH) rule was reestablished by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) on February 9, 2023. This rule requires that agencies in receipt of federal funds—such as the OHCD—proactively take meaningful actions to overcome patterns of segregation, promote fair housing choice, eliminate disparities in opportunities, and foster inclusive communities free from discrimination. As part of those efforts, the OHCD has joined as a participant in a state-wide Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing (Al), which is conducted every 5 years as a part of HUD's Consolidated Plan. This year's Al will be conducted by UHERO and is expected to be produce a report by December 2024. The MOA between the County of Hawaii and HHFDC and serves as the documented commitment to participate in the Al. As part of their contract services, UHERO will work to update the previous Al and analize HUD-provided maps and tables which help identify segregation and integration of protected classes.The following components will be anaylized at statewide and local levels: Local information, Public Policies, Private Market Activity and Fair Housing Environment. Specific areas of inquiry for this year's study feature analysis of the following: Housing Preference, NIMBY "Not in my Backyward" local resistance to affordable projects; and Native Hawaiians & Native Hawaiian Fair Housing issues. UHERO will facilitate public participation to engage the community through focus groups, community meetins, surveys and other efective outreach mesasures. UHERO attended the statewide annual Fair Housing seminar and acquired hundreds of housing providers and housing-related service providers that expressed and interest and willingness to be contacted for the purspose of the Al. Individual draft reports will be provided to each participant (including OHCD)by August 1, 2024, with a final report anticipated to be published by December 31, 2024. SIGNED: DATE: Department Head