Label
The Fair Housing Center: Source of Income Testing
Depart of Housing & Community Development
Director Rosalyn Clemens, x3647
Revised
Title
Authorizing the Mayor to enter into an agreement with The Fair Housing Center for Source of Income Testing services; authorizing the General Fund expenditure of an amount not to exceed $25,000; waiving the competitive bidding requirements of TMC Chapter 187; and declaring an emergency.
Body
SUMMARY & BACKGROUND:
On December 15, 2020, Chapter 554 of Toledo Municipal Code (Ord. 498-18) was repealed and a new Chapter 554 was created (Ord. 490-20). Ord. 490-20 established source of income as a protected class and is prohibited real estate discrimination under TMC 554.03.
This Ordinance is to authorize the Mayor to enter into an agreement with The Fair Housing Center for Source of Income (SOI) discrimination testing services, as the City seeks to continue to understand the extent of said discrimination. The primary focus will be to identify unlawful SOI housing discrimination. Further, this information will be used to better understand the issues surrounding SOI; used for advocacy; to assist in identifying need for legislation changes; and to help create good enforcement processes. Similar to federal testing, City of Toledo SOI testing would use individuals who without any bona fide intent to rent housing, pose as prospective renters.
The Fair Housing is dedicated to eliminating housing discrimination and promoting housing choice, and advocating for anti-discriminatory housing policies; and is uniquely positioned to provide the testing parameters for and implementation of Source of Income housing discrimination as it is a Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) organization through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to do other housing discrimination testing.
Summary
NOW THEREFORE Be it ordained by the Council of the City of Toledo:
SECTION 1. That the Mayor is authorized to enter into an agreement with The Fair Housing Center for the purpose of conducting Source of Income testing services upon terms and conditions acceptable to the Director of Housing and Community Development and the Director of Law.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of an amount not to exceed $25,000 is authorized from the General Fund Account Code 1001-16200-5632005STDSTD for the purpose authorized in Section 1.
SECTION 3. That this Council finds and determines it is in the best interest of the City to waive the competitive procurement provisions of Toledo Municipal Code Chapter 187 for the reason that The Fair Housing Center as a FHIP is solely qualified as a local organization to development and implement Source of Income testing.
SECTION 4. That the Finance Director is authorized to draw warrant or warrants against the above Account Code in an amount not exceed $25,000 in payment of the above-authorized obligations upon the proper voucher or vouchers.
SECTION 5. That this Ordinance, being an emergency measure, shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. The reason for the emergency lies in the fact that the Ordinance is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety and property, and for the further reason that this Ordinance must be immediately effective in order to timely expend these funds for Source of Income testing.
Vote on emergency clause: yeas _____, nays _____.
Passed: _________________, as an emergency measure: yeas _____, nays _____.
Attest: ________________________ __________________________________
Clerk of Council President of Council
Approved: _____________________ __________________________________
Mayor
I hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of an Ordinance passed by Council ________________________.
Attest: ________________________
Clerk of Council