Issue 4

"This is the first time that we have been invited to partner like this with HUD." --Albert Suguitan, Lake County Board of Realtors.

Cleveland HUD Office Forms Partnerships to Promote Fair Housing

When Cleveland Community Builder Ray Young heard about a public hearing to discuss results of a fair housing impediment study in the City of Mentor, he decided to attend. As a Community Builder assigned to this region of Ohio, Ray joined the concerned citizens, public leaders, and representatives of real estate agents to hear the results of a study that would discuss the challenges minorities face in purchasing a home.

"At the meeting, it was clear that one group of attendees wanted more diversity in the community and while other individuals were not as comfortable with these changes," said Ray. "I could see the hostility at the meeting, and it was clear that local leaders were not certain about the best way to resolve the problem."

Ray set out to establish and strengthen HUD’ s relationship with local real estate agents, with the long-term goal of negotiating a best practices agreement between the Department and real estate boards and associations. In pursuing this goal, Ray found that the Lake County Board of Realtors shared many of HUD’s concerns with the issues raised by the impediment study. Ray worked to strengthen this consensus, successfully negotiating a formal Best Practices agreement between the Lake County Board of Realtors and HUD.

The Best Practices agreement addresses fair housing through a variety of methods. For example, the Board of Realtors agrees to offer continuing education classes for real estate agents on fair housing practices. Other methods include strengthened roles for real estate agents in HUD-sponsored homeownership fairs and the establishment of new partnerships between community-based homeownership organizations and local realtors. Young also points out that through the HUD/realtor partnerships, agents are becoming much more familiar with HUD and local homeownership programs that can help clients purchase a home.

"This is the first time that we have been invited to partner like this with HUD," said Albert Suguitan, Executive Director of the Lake County Board of Realtors. "Ray’s leadership and spirit has been a guiding light for us."

The success of HUD’s partnership with the Lake County Board of Realtors has inspired similar agreements in other parts of Northern Ohio. The Cleveland Area Board of Realtors and Leader Mortgage Company, LLC have both signed Best Practice agreements with HUD to ensure fair housing laws are followed.

"These agreements can have a significant impact on reducing housing discrimination," said Ray. "For example, in the Cleveland area, there are over 4600 realtors. As we increase awareness of fair housing laws and best practices, real estate agents can work to eradicate housing discrimination with the people that they influence on the job, as citizens and neighbors, and as voluntary members of civic organizations."

"This is not just some feel-good measure on the part of our membership," noted Barbara Lachowicz, Chair of the Cleveland Area Board of Realtors, in the organization’s recent monthly newsletter. "This is their word, in writing, that [Cleveland Area Realtors] are professionals committing to upholding the spirit of the Fair Housing Act and making sure that all residents know their rights."

HUD’s success in these fair housing agreements is the result of outstanding Community Builder/Public Trust officer teamwork. Ray worked closely with Senior Community Builder Doug Shelby throughout this process. Ray and Doug also received ongoing technical guidance from Columbus FHEO Director Carolyn Murphy, Columbus Senior Real Estate Owned Specialist Jim Cannon, and Brad Payne from the Cleveland Single Family Office.

"It’s been a rewarding experience to work with these real estate professionals who take such a serious stand against housing discrimination," said Shelby. "Secretary Cuomo’s leadership on fair housing issues and eradicating discrimination has not been lost on these folks."