D.C. Housing Authority still misses mark on Human Rights Act
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DC Human Rights Law

GLAA on Human Rights

D.C. Housing Authority still misses mark on Human Rights Act

May 23, 2002

Office of the General Counsel
D.C. Housing Authority
1133 North Capitol Street, N.E. Suite 210
Washington, D.C. 20002-7599

Dear Sirs/Madams:

We are writing to comment on the "Notice of Proposed Rulemaking" published in the May 3 edition of the D.C. Register for the Housing Choice Voucher/Home Ownership Assistance Program (HCV/HOAP).

We are focusing our attention on the anti-discrimination provisions included in the proposed regulations, an area in which we have demonstrated expertise for more than a quarter century.

Section 9223.1 states: "DCHA will administer and operate the HCV/HOAP without regard to race, religion, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, family status or national origin. Reasonable accommodations will be afforded to any person with disabilities that would otherwise qualify for the program; provided that such assistance does not cause undo financial and/or administrative burdens to the HCV/HOAP."

This language violates Executive Order 2000-131 issued by Mayor Williams on August 21, 2000, requiring all nondiscrimination policy statements to list all categories protected under the D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977.

Section 9223.1 omits any reference to the following protected classes: age, marital status, personal appearance, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, source of income, and place of residence or business.

The Mayor's Executive Order requires that all proposed nondiscrimination policy statements must be cleared by the Office of Human Rights. Obviously this has not been done. This is the second time that we have found a violation of the Mayor's Executive Order by DCHA. The first was the "Notice of Proposed Rulemaking" published in the August 10 edition of the D.C. Register for the Administrative Plan for DCHA's Section 8 program. We still have not seen a correction to that violation, a situation we find unacceptable.

Thank you for your speedy attention to our concerns.

Sincerely,

Bob Summersgill
President

cc: The Honorable Anthony Williams
All Councilmembers
Charles Holman III, Director, Office of Human Rights


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