Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing means taking meaningful actions to address significant disparities in housing needs and access to opportunity, replacing segregated living patterns with truly integrated and balanced living patterns, transforming racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty into areas of opportunity, and fostering and maintaining compliance with civil rights and fair housing laws.

The City of Lawrence, in partnership with the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority, will prepare an Assessment of Fair Housing as part of its obligations in receiving funding from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Over the last few months, the HUD provided data and mapping tool was used to examine difficult issues like racial and ethnic segregation, concentrated areas of poverty, disparities in access to opportunity, and disproportionate housing needs.

Input from residents was a critical part of developing a strong fair housing plan. Below is a survey used to begin the discussion of issues facing our community, and a chance for citizens to tell us what is most important to them.

On September 1, 2017 a draft of the Assessment of Fair Housing was published with recommendations and strategies that outline what role the City can play in furthering fair housing for all residents. This draft was available for public comment for 45 days, until October 15, 2017.

On October 17, 2017 the City Commission authorized staff to submit the completed 2018 Assessment of Fair Housing to HUD by November 1, 2017.

On December 11, 2017 HUD issued a letter of acceptance for the submitted 2018 Assessment of Fair Housing.

We also asked citizens to join us in celebrating the 50^th anniversary of Lawrence’s 1967 Fair Housing Ordinance and to attend meetings to engage in a community conversation about fair housing issues.

• April 15, 2017 Fifty Years of Fair Housing in Lawrence, Carnegie Building 2-4pm
• April 27, 2017 Community Development Advisory Committee discussion on fair housing, City Commission room of City Hall 6:15pm to 6:45pm
• June 15, 2017 Lawrence-Douglas County Resident Advisory Committee discussion on fair housing
• June 22, 2017 Human Relations Commission presentation on Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing, Carnegie Building – East Gallery 5:30pm
• July 18, 2017 City Commission Proclamation – Celebrating Fifty Years of Fair Housing in Lawrence; Fair Housing Historical exhibit; Civil Rights kiosk, Watkins Museum 5pm to 7pm
• July 26, 2017 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Public Meeting, Carnegie Building 10am to 11am; Presentation
• July 27, 2017 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Public Meeting, City Commission room of City Hall 5:30pm to 6:30pm; Presentation
• August 14, 2017 Affordable Housing Advisory Board open public meeting with a discussion of the  Assessment of Fair Housing with a presentation and ability for public comment, City Commission room of City Hall 11am; Presentation
• August 17, 2017 Human Relations Commission open public meeting with  a discussion of the Assessment of Fair Housing with a presentation and ability for public comment, Carnegie Building – East Gallery 5:30pm; Presentation
• September 1, 2017 Begins 45 day public comment period on the DRAFT Assessment of Fair Housing
• September 19, 2017 Present DRAFT Assessment of Fair Housing to the City Commission for review and approval, City Commission room of City Hall 5:45pm; Presentation
• October 17, 2017 City Commission authorized staff to submit the completed 2018 Assessment of Fair Housing to HUD by November 1, 2017.
• December 11, 2017 HUD issued a letter of acceptance for the submitted 2018 Assessment of Fair Housing.