The City of Frisco City Council approved the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice on November 19, 2019 as required by HUD in preparation of the Five-Year Consolidated Plan (2020-2024). The Fair Housing Act of 1968 states that it is the policy of the United States to provide for fair housing throughout the country and the Act prohibits any person from discriminating in the sale or rental of housing, the financing of housing, or the provision of brokerage services, including or otherwise making unavailable or denying a dwelling to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, or familial status. The State of Texas echoes such goal and has also adopted legislation protecting equal access to housing.
Nationally, fair housing and impediments to fair housing are monitored by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the use of Community Block Development Grant (CDBG) funding for fair housing advocacy groups. This role of HUD to act as an administrator of fair housing programs originated in 1968 with the passage of the Civil Rights Act, described below.
Each grantee which receives CDBG funding under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act is required to further fair housing and fair housing planning by conducting an analysis to identify impediments to fair housing choice within those cities/communities within its jurisdiction. The grantee will also take appropriate actions to overcome the effects of any impediments identified and will maintain records which reflect the analysis and actions taken in this regard.
The City of Frisco has consistently supported the concept of the provision of fair housing for its residents without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, or familial status. To that end, the City has consistently used a portion of its CDBG funding to support programs of fair housing services for low and moderate income households. The fundamental fair housing goal is to make housing choice a reality through fair housing planning, which includes the following:
1. Preparing an Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice
2. Acting to eliminate identified impediments; and
3. Providing fair housing records.
The purpose of this AI is to provide essential, specific, and detailed information and data to municipal officials and staff, policy makers, housing developers, lenders, and fair housing advocates. The AI helps build public support for fair housing efforts. This report represents Frisco's efforts in making an objective assessment of the nature and extent of fair housing concerns in the City, and the potential impediments to making fair housing choice available to its residents.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing because of: race, religion, color, sex, national origin, disability, or familial status. When based on one of the listed categories, examples of prohibited actions include:
Refusal to rent or sell housing
Refusal to negotiate for housing
Setting different terms, conditions, or privileges for the sale or rental of a dwelling.
Falsely denying that housing is available for inspection/sale/rental
Similar prohibitions apply to mortgage lending
It is also illegal for anyone to threaten, coerce, intimidate, or interfere with an individual exercising their fair housing right. In mortgage lending, no one may:
Refuse to make a mortgage loan
Refuse to provide information regarding loans
Discriminate in appraising property
Refuse to purchase a loan
Set different terms or conditions for purchasing a loan
In addition, it is illegal for anyone to:
Threaten, coerce, intimidate, or interfere with anyone exercising a fair housing right or assisting others exercising a fair housing right.
Advertise or make any public statement that indicates a limitation or preference based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, or familial status or disability. This prohibition against discriminatory advertising applies to single family and owner occupied housing.