[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 217 (Thursday, November 10, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-27894]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: November 10, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. N-94-3691; FR-3348-N-11]

 

State and Local Fair Housing Laws: Notice of Initial 
Determination Concerning Substantial Equivalency of the Fair Housing 
Laws of the States of Connecticut, Ohio, South Carolina, and the City 
of Cambridge, Massachusetts

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal 
Opportunity, HUD.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with 24 CFR 115.6(c), this notice announces the 
Department's initial determination that the fair housing laws of the 
States of Connecticut, Ohio and South Carolina, and the city of 
Cambridge, Massachusetts, are substantially equivalent, on their face, 
to the Fair Housing Act. This notice solicits comments from the public 
on the initial determinations made with respect to these three States 
and this locality. This notice also solicits comments on the 
Department's proposed determinations that the present practices and 
past performance of the agency enforcing the fair housing law of the 
three States and the locality demonstrate that, in operation, the fair 
housing laws of the States and the locality provide rights and remedies 
that are substantially equivalent to those available under the Fair 
Housing Act.

DATES: Comment Due Date: December 12, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this notice to the Office of General Counsel, Rules Docket Clerk, Room 
10276, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, 
SW, Washington, DC 20410. Communications should refer to the above 
docket number and title. A copy of each communication submitted will be 
available for public inspection and copying on weekdays between 7:30 
a.m. and 5:30 p.m. at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marcella O. Brown, Chief, Fair Housing 
Assistance Programs Division, Office of Fair Housing and Equal 
Opportunity, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh 
Street, SW, Room 5234, Washington, DC 20410, telephone (202) 708-0455 
(voice/TDD). (This is not a toll-free number.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3600-3619), the Department is 
authorized to investigate complaints alleging discrimination in 
housing. (Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended by the 
Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, is cited as the ``Fair Housing 
Act.'') Section 810(f) of the Fair Housing Act requires the Department 
to refer complaints to State and local agencies that have 
``substantially equivalent'' fair housing standards, as determined and 
certified by the Department.
    Part 115 of the Department's regulations (24 CFR part 115) contains 
the certification standards and the procedures for certifying State and 
local fair housing laws that provide substantive rights and remedies 
for alleged discriminatory housing practices that are substantially 
equivalent to those provided in the Fair Housing Act.

Announcement of Initial Determinations and Solicitation of Comments

    In accordance with 24 CFR 115.6(c)(1), this notice announces that 
the fair housing laws of the States of Connecticut, Ohio, South 
Carolina and the city of Cambridge, MA, have been determined by the 
Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity to be 
substantially equivalent, on their face, to the Fair Housing Act. The 
Assistant Secretary has determined, after application of the criteria 
set forth in 24 CFR 115.3 and 115.4, that the fair housing laws for 
these three States and this locality provide, on their face, 
substantive rights and remedies for alleged discriminatory housing 
practices that are substantially equivalent to those provided in the 
Fair Housing Act.
    Following a review of performance standards and other materials 
pertaining to the fair housing laws of these three States and this 
locality, the Department expects to make final determinations that the 
law of each of the three States and the locality, in operation, 
provides rights and remedies that are substantially equivalent to those 
available under the Fair Housing Act. The Department intends to execute 
a Memorandum of Understanding with the agency charged with enforcement 
of the fair housing law of each State and locality in accordance with 
24 CFR 115.6(c).
    In accordance with 24 CFR 115.6(b), the public is invited to submit 
written comments on this notice. Specifically, the Department requests 
written comments on the proposed determinations that the current 
practices and past performance of the agencies charged with 
administration and enforcement of the fair housing laws of the three 
States and the locality demonstrate that, in operation, these laws 
provide substantive rights and remedies that are substantially 
equivalent to the Fair Housing Act. This notice also invites comments 
from the public on the Department's determination that the fair housing 
laws of these three States and the locality are, on their face, 
substantially equivalent to the Fair Housing Act.
    In commenting on this notice, the Department requests that 
commenters clearly identify the State or the locality for which 
comments are submitted.

    Dated: September 15, 1994.
Roberta Achtenberg,
Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.
[FR Doc. 94-27894 Filed 11-9-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-28-P