[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: 94-27895]


[[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-10]

 

State and Local Fair Housing Laws: Notice of Initial 
Determination Concerning Substantial Equivalency of the Fair Housing 
Laws of Various States and Localities

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 
certain States and localities are substantially equivalent, on their 
face, to the Fair Housing Act. The States and localities are listed in 
the Supplementary Information section of this notice. This notice 
solicits comments from the public on the initial determinations made 
with respect to each State and 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 States and localities demonstrate that, in operation, the 
fair housing laws of these States and localities 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 following States and localities 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, that the fair housing laws 
for these States and localities 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.
    The States and localities are as follows:

States (23)

California
Colorado
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Missouri
Montana
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Utah
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia

Localities (35)

Phoenix, AZ
Clearwater, FL
Hillsborough County, FL
Orlando, FL
Pinellas County, FL
St. Petersburg, FL
Tampa, FL
Des Moines, IA
Springfield, IL
Hammond, IN
Olathe, KS
Salina, KS
Louisville-Jefferson County, KY
Lexington-Fayette Urban County, KY
Elgin, IL
Evanston, IL
Springfield, IL
Gary, IN
South Bend, IN
Dubuque, IO
Kansas City, MO
Asheville-Buncombe County, NC
Charlotte-Mecklenburg County, NC
Greensboro, NC
New Hanover, NC
Winston-Salem, NC
Omaha, NE
Dayton, OH
Shaker Heights, OH
Dallas, TX
Fort Worth, TX
Knoxville, TN
Charleston, WV
Huntington, WV
King County, WA

    Following a review of performance standards and other materials 
pertaining to the fair housing laws of the above-listed States and 
localities, the Department expects to make final determinations that 
the law of each State and 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 State and local agencies charged 
with administration and enforcement of the fair housing laws of the 
above-listed States and localities 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 the above-listed States and localities 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 locality for which comments 
are submitted.

    Dated: September 23, 1994.
Roberta Achtenberg,
Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.
[FR Doc. 94-27895 Filed 11-9-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-28-P