HUD reaches agreement with Texas county over alleged abuse of disaster purchasing program

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced an agreement Friday with Harris County, Texasto settle allegations of discrimination based on race and national origin in the “design and operation of its Post Disaster Relocation and Buyout Program.”

Although the county is a party to the agreement, it denies the allegations of discrimination and HUD has “made no findings of discrimination” under applicable law. These include the Fair Housing Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974.

The province “is entering into this agreement solely as a means to satisfactorily resolve this dispute,” while denying the allegations. is stated in the agreement.

As part of the agreement, the county must provide the outstanding acquisition targets of the current mandatory buyout program with a notice of the property owner’s rights, including their right to appeal the county’s buyout of their home. It must also include information in both English and Spanish about their right to file a discrimination complaint with the HUD Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Office.

The county must also submit any future plan to use HUD disaster recovery funds to the department for approval to implement a mandatory buyout. This should include “a discussion of the steps that will be taken to ensure that the proposed buyout program does not lead to discrimination.”

A property owner who has filed a discrimination complaint against the province is also a party to the agreement. It commemorates a resolution between the county and the property owner in which the county “agreed to a limited acquisition of land in the highest risk flood zone in lieu of Complainant’s entire homestead.”

Diane M. Shelley, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, said HUD funds for such programs must be used equitably.

“Buyout programs are important tools that help families move from disaster-prone areas, but should not be used in a discriminatory manner that negatively impacts vulnerable communities of color,” she said. “HUD remains committed to equitable disaster recovery and resilience, and to ensuring that HUD-provided disaster recovery funds are managed in accordance with applicable civil rights laws.”