Building Stronger Partnerships for Fair Housing in Tennessee

(Left to right) Brooxie Carlton, Tennessee Department of Economic Community Development, Cain Davis, Acting Director, Knoxville FHEO Office, Stephen Moore, Equal Opportunity Specialist, FHEO, and, Kendra Jensen, Tennessee Housing Development Agency.

On March 18, 2013, HUD Equal Opportunity Specialist Steve Moore and Alabama and Tennessee Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) Director Cain Davis provided training on Annual Action Plans and Consolidated Plans for Tennessee Community Planning and Development (CPD) grantees.

The purpose of the training was to provide clarity to the over thirty grantees in attendance by providing information and training concerning FHEO expectations and how to collaboratively work together to obtain a better outcome. It also reaffirmed the goal to deal with fair housing issues up front and proactive approach. These meetings were in preparation for and consistent with this year's Fair Housing April Month theme: Our Work Today Defines Our Tomorrow.

The grantees attended the training in the Knoxville HUD office and while other grantees participated by videoconference in the Nashville and Memphis HUD offices. Grantees also attended training via Live Meeting. Moore explained to the attendees what FHEO is looking for when reviewing Annual Action Plans or Consolidated Plans. He also led the training and answered grantees' specific questions.

State of TN AI poster

On the following day March 19, 2013, Moore, Director Davis, and Equal Opportunity Assistant Lonnie McKenzie participated in the State of Tennessee 2013 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice Fair Housing Forum in Knoxville, TN sponsored by the TN Department of Economic Community Development (TDECD - www.tn.gov/ecd/), Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA - www.thda.org/), and TN Department of Health (http://health.state.tn.us/). The presentation from Western Economic Services, contracted by the State of Tennessee to perform the State of Tennessee 2013 Analysis of Impediments (AI - www.tn.gov/ecd/CDBG/pdf/
20130321FairHousingForumsPresentation.pdf) provided a presentation and discussed some of their preliminary findings and solicited input on local fair housing issues.

Afterwards, Moore met with Kendra Jensen from THDA and Brooxie Carlton, TDECD to give technical assistance about the AI. One of FHEO's goals is to provide technical assistance concerning the state of Tennessee's Analysis of Impediments.

The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) designates April as National Fair Housing month. HUD is looking forward to April, 2013, which marks the 45th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing.

You can read about Fair Housing through HUD's website.

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