HUD Investigation Finds Oklahoma Housing Providers Engaged in Racial Discrimination and Retaliation

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it has issued findings for Cushing Housing, Inc., and property manager Oklahoma Property Management, Inc. (OPMI), both recipients of HUD funds. HUD found the respondents discriminated against tenants by failing to adequately respond to known serious racial harassment and retaliated by moving to terminate their tenancy. Read the Letter of Findings here.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race by recipients of federal financial assistance. Cushing Housing and OPMI are required to comply with Title VI because they are a recipient and subrecipient, respectively, of Federal financial assistance from HUD.

"Bigotry and racial discrimination have no place in housing. It is inexcusable for a HUD-funded housing provider to discriminate and retaliate against its tenants while denying them the ability to peacefully enjoy their housing" said Demetria L. McCain, HUD's Principal Deputy Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. "This Letter of Findings of Noncompliance demonstrates HUD's unwavering commitment to ensuring that entities receiving HUD funding comply with their civil rights obligations and that all individuals have the opportunity to live in HUD-assisted housing, free from discrimination."

The case originally came to HUD's attention when the complainants, a mother and her daughter, filed a complaint with HUD alleging that they had been discriminated against by Cushing Housing and OPMI due to the race of the daughter's boyfriend. When the daughter, who is white, was seen dating a man who is Black, the complainants became the target of severe and pervasive racial harassment from other tenants on the property. The complainants were repeatedly called racial slurs by other tenants and were threatened with racially motivated violence. HUD's investigation found that complainants repeatedly notified Cushing Housing and OPMI of the racial harassment, but the recipients failed to adequately address the harassment. When Cushing Housing and OPMI responded, it was in the form of a notice to vacate to both the complainant mother as well as the harassers. HUD's investigation thus revealed that the complainant mother was also unlawfully retaliated against for her efforts to have the harassment addressed.

HUD will attempt to seek remedial relief for the complainants and public interest relief through changes to policies and procedures through a Voluntary Compliance Agreement/Conciliation Agreement in an effort to make the complainant whole and eliminate discriminatory practices.

People who believe they have experienced discrimination may file a complaint by contacting HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at (800) 669-9777 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (Relay). Housing discrimination complaints may also be filed by going to hud.gov/fairhousing.

For more information about fair lending under the Fair Housing Act, please see: HUD's website.

###

HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all.
More information about HUD and its programs is available at www.hud.gov and https://espanol.hud.gov.

You can also connect with HUD on social media and follow Secretary Fudge on Twitter and Facebook or sign up for news alerts on HUD's Email List.

HUD COVID-19 Resources and Fact Sheets

Learn More About HUD's Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity Work