1999 Best Practices
Success Stories

Program Name:			Title VIII Cases Enforcement Agreements Review
Program Focus:			Fair Housing
Geographic Area:			Great Plains
State:			Kansas
City:			Kansas City

Executive Summary
The Administrative Law Division of the Kansas City HUD Office of General Counsel (OGC) has initiated a program to assist the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) in the review of enforcement agreements for Title VIII housing discrimination cases. By ensuring that the agreements are both accurate and legally sufficient, the OGC’s efforts benefit both the FHEO and participants in the Title VIII Housing Discrimination Complaint process.

Enforcement agreements contain a variety of components, including general provisions, affirmative actions, individual relief, and a monitoring process. By performing a legal review of the agreements prior to issuance and FHEO’s obtaining signatures from the involved parties, OGC eliminates problems that might have surfaced after the agreements are executed. OGC completes the review of an enforcement agreement within 24 hours.

The OGC reviews ensure that preventable errors are avoided, thereby improving the quality of the agreements and providing HUD with a more professional product. By making certain that the document can stand up to potential legal challenges, OGC also benefits individuals participating in the process. The procedures instituted by OGC are both effective and replicable, and could be implemented in any legal office providing support to FHEO.

Partners: Kansas City HUD Office of General Counsel

Financing: Various Funding Sources

Point of Contact:

Kansas City HUD Office of General Counsel, Phone: 913-551-6885