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State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice

State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. COSCDA Program Managers Meeting Washington, D.C. March 16, 2010. DHCD did AI in House Items we examined: Housing needs by family type, race, age, and disability Low-income and Minority Concentrations

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State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice

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  1. State of MarylandAnalysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice COSCDA Program Managers Meeting Washington, D.C. March 16, 2010

  2. DHCD did AI in House Items we examined: Housing needs by family type, race, age, and disability Low-income and Minority Concentrations Home Mortgage Disclosure Act Data Foreclosure Data DHCD Lending Data DGCD Program Beneficiaries Numbers and Languages spoken by persons of Limited English Proficiency Fair Housing Complaints State Policies and Procedures including HOME, CDBG, LIHTC, Housing Choice Voucher Policies Reasonable Accommodation Smart Growth State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice

  3. State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice • Other Actions we undertook: • Fair Housing Survey • Accessing Affordable and Available Housing • Meetings with Advocacy Groups, Legal Aide, ACLU, staff from other State agencies including DHMH, DHR, MCHR • Public Hearings across the State • Examined items we don’t control but my impact fair housing choice: for example, local zoning, availability of transportation, BRAC

  4. State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice • What we did well: • Financed new construction of rental housing outside of areas of minority and low-income concentration • Provided mortgage financing to protected classes • Operated the Housing Choice Voucher Program in a way that provided housing choice

  5. State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice • What We Did Well (continued): • Undertook CDBG projects outside of areas of minority and low-income concentration • Offered a wide-array of programs that offered fair housing choice • Carried out the goals and objectives of the last AI

  6. Impediments We Identified: Lack of knowledge about fair housing rights, responsibilities Data does not allow us to identified possible discrimination or adequate determine needs Persons of Limited English Proficiency need better access to programs Disproportionate housing need for persons with disabilities Need for more affordable housing Actions to overcome Impediments: Need more Fair Housing Education Need for improved data at Federal, State level Need to improve Limited English Proficiency (LEP) efforts Need for more housing for persons with Disabilities Need for more affordable housing for all populations State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice

  7. State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice • Fair Housing Education • Survey answers showed many people in all areas lacked awareness of knowledge of fair housing rights and responsibilities • Many property owners did not know how to categorize HH by race/ethnicity • HUD has not issued new requirements under HERA

  8. State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice • Actions to Address Education Needs • Development and Implementation of comprehensive local outreach and information programs on fair housing, emphasizing race, ethnicity, and disability • Initiate testing for racial discrimination in sales practices and lending. • Develop and implement fair housing training for residents, realtors, developers, landlords, lenders, insurers, management agents, etc. • Train landlords on new reporting requirements related to tenant beneficiaries as per HERA (awaiting HUD guidance and TA.) • Sponsor Fair Housing Conferences, workshops and seminars

  9. State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice • Improved Data • HMDA Data shows possible discrimination, but can’t be proved based on data • Census data on disabilities does not reflect housing need • Persons at all levels of government, private sector don’t understand basic data, reporting categories, etc.

  10. Actions to Address Data shortcomings: Advocate with Congress, HUD and Federal Reserve to improve HMDA data (federal pre-emption) Advocate and work with HUD and State agencies to improve data collection on housing needs of persons with disabilities Fair Housing Training to project managers to improve beneficiary reporting State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice

  11. State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice • Limited English Proficiency (LEP) • Used Safe Harbor Limits from HUD • Many people unaware of requirements • DHCD already does some LEP, but not in a coordinated way • Expand translation services, website, etc.

  12. Actions to Address Limited English Proficiency Encourage local LEP service provision with town/municipalities, nonprofit organization, etc. Develop and implement LEP marketing, outreach and information as appropriate for programs Add an “En Espanol” link to DHCD’s website to materials already translated into Spanish (foreclosure data, apartment search data, etc.) Utilize and advertise more extensively State Translator Subscription Service State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice

  13. State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice • Housing Need for Persons with Disabilities • Even with existing DHCD programs, strong need for persons with disabilities • Disabled persons on SSI/SSDI can not afford “affordable” apartments • Significant populations might be eligible for mainstreaming

  14. Actions to Address Housing Needs for persons with Disabilities: Implement select strategies of the State Disabilities Plan Increase rental subsidies to persons with disabilities from HUD Utilize alternative funding streams to provide rental subsidies (Medicaid wavers, State Medicaid match, etc.) Access possible additional resources to serve persons with Special Needs (proposed reforms to Section 811, 202 programs). Improve coordination between agencies that serve the disabled and developers Improve operation of housing programs for the disabled operated by other agencies State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice

  15. State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice • Lack of Affordable Housing • Need greatly exceeds supply • Housing is not necessarily located near transit or jobs • Loss of affordable housing exacerbates housing problems

  16. Actions to Address Lack of Affordable Housing Access New Resources for affordable housing (for example, National Affordable Housing Trust) Preserve Existing Affordable Housing (MacArthur Foundation Funds) Increase energy efficiency of housing (Weatherization, State Energy Grant programs) Coordinate housing, transportation, and jobs (State Development Plan, federal Sustainable Communities Initiative and Choice Neighborhoods Initiatives.) State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice

  17. State of Maryland Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice • Other Issues • Questions?

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