Ramos v. Proulx

No. 82-0422-F (D. Mass. May 17, 1995) ; Clearinghouse Number: 39544

Description

City Agrees to Cease Discriminatory Code Enforcement and to Adopt Fair Housing Plan

Abstract

The parties have settled this fair housing lawsuit brought by 13 low-income tenants and two community organizations against defendants HUD and the City of Holyoke, Massachusetts. Plaintiffs alleged that the city engaged in widespread discriminatory code enforcement, used Community Development Block Grant funds for demolition, and failed affirmatively to further fair housing, in violation of Title VI and Title VIII of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968 and the antidiscrimination provisions of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. Plaintiffs also alleged that HUD breached its statutory duty to monitor the city and to require compliance with federal law. Under the terms of the settlement, HUD agreed to provide 300 Section 8 certificates and 50 public housing units to the city. Half of the Section 8 subsidies are to be tied to project-based units under homeownership programs administered as limited-equity cooperatives. Owners and prospective owners applying for housing rehabilitation under this program are to be required to demonstrate commitments to job training and employment opportunities for low-income city residents. In addition, the settlement encourages the development of "sweat equity" plans whereby prospective owners may earn their down payments in the cooperative by participating in job training or employment. The remaining housing resources are to be allocated according to the results of a fair housing plan to be written by a HUD-funded fair housing consultant in consultation with community groups and a revitalized fair housing commission. The city has agreed to accept resources under the decree and to change policies relating to code enforcement and fair and affordable housing. HUD will monitor the city’s compliance with the decree, and both defendants will pay plaintiffs’ attorney fees.

Additional Information

Attorney Information
Richard Glassman, Western Massachusetts Legal Services, 57 Suffolk St., Holyoke, MA 01040, (413) 536-2420; Judith Liben, James Marcellino, Lenor Glaser, Olga Perez.
Docket Date
1995-05-17 00:00:00+00:00