2019-197 - Fair Housing Action PlanDate: December 13, 2019 Report No. 2019-197
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT
TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
Fair Housing Officer and a Fair Housing Action Plan
BACKGROUND:
On Monday December 9, 2019 Council Member Armintor requested information, as to whether
the City of Denton has a Fair Housing Officer and a Fair Housing Action Plan. Specifically, CM
Armintor asked:
If the City has a Fair Housing Officer;
If the City provided Fair Housing Training to staff in any of the relevant departments;
For a link to an action plan and any upcoming fair housing training plans; and
Fair housing training for Council.
DISCUSSION:
Fair Housing is covered in the City of Denton, Code of Ordinances Subpart A, Chapter 15 –
HOUSING, ARTICLE II. - FAIR HOUSING. The Community Development Manager is
designated by the City Manager as the City’s Fair Housing Administrator.
Community Development Staff receives training on Fair Housing through in-house training,
attending workshops and sessions provided through Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) sponsored events, and through shared learning opportunities sponsored by
local groups such as one coordinated by the City of Lewisville provided by the North Texas Fair
Housing Center and Texas Aging and Disability Resources Center (e.g. April, 2019) The City does
not offer fair housing training to the public but will refer to other vendors such as developers, lease
agents, real estate professionals as applicable.
The City of Denton does have a City Council approved, Fair Housing Plan and Analysis of
Impediments to Housing Choice (Fair Housing Plan). The Fair Housing Plan was approved by
City Council with the approval of the City’s 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan for Housing and
Community Development (p.135). It was accepted and approved by HUD in August of 2015.
Consistent with the City’s Fair Housing Plan and Code of Ordinances, Community Development
staff provides information and assistance to complainants regarding the appropriate forms and how
to file a fair housing complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development’s Fair
Housing office. Information is also provided regarding how to contact other local agencies that
provide support for Fair Housing. A resource referral list is available on the Fair Housing page of
the City’s website.
Council Member Armintor also requested information in a follow-up email regarding how many
complaints the city has made to HUD in the past year (December 2018 to December 2019).
Date: December 13, 2019 Report No. 2019-197
In response to that request, the City has made no Fair Housing complaints to HUD or assisted with
any complainant reporting to HUD in the past year. The City provides information to residents on
the Fair Housing page of the City’s website. It would be unknown if anyone reported to HUD
outside of contacting the City directly. It is estimated approximately a dozen calls over the last
year were received by Community Development. After staff listened to the complaints it was
assessed that none of the calls received were related to Fair Housing discrimination based on race,
color, national origin, religion, sex, family status, or disability. In all cases, regardless of
assessment, staff offers to assist the caller with filing a report to HUD. Most of the calls are what
staff would assess as landlord/tenant issues related to issues such as eviction, health code, and
potential code violations. It is more typical that staff refer to staff in Community Improvement
Services for rental unit inspection. On occasion, staff will refer to Legal Aid or the Texas Tenants
Union when there is a lease or legal issue described. These are more commonly related to rent
increases, lease renewals, evictions, late fees, high deposit, etc. These are deemed by staff to be
civil matters between the tenant and landlord where the City has no authority and generally will
refer as described above.
STAFF CONTACT:
Dani Shaw, Community Development
REQUESTOR:
Council Member Armintor
PARTICIPATING DEPARTMENTS:
Community Development
STAFF TIME TO COMPLETE REPORT:
1.75 Hours