Town of Arlington, Fair Housing Action Plan (July 2021)

Citation: Town of Arlington, Fair Housing Action Plan (July 2021)
Jurisdiction: Arlington (municipal)
Source: Official source
Original Source: https://www.arlingtonma.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/57214/637641171662530000 ↗

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Fair housing issues fall squarely in the AHRC’s purview, and according to Town staff, complaints made to the
AHRC regularly involve housing generally. Residents can file complaints through the AHRC website, through the
Town of Arlington website under Human Rights Commission, or by calling or emailing. A Commissioner will then
conduct an initial investigation into the reported incident. Complaints are discussed at Commission meetings;
names of the persons who reported the violation are not mentioned to ensure confidentiality. While the AHRC
does not have the authority to redress complaints, the commission’s investigations and hearing can provide
information, publicity, and support for victims of fair housing violations, which could help resolve the violations
and/or provide information to enforcement agencies.
One participant in this plan’s public engagement expressed reluctance to file formal complaints regarding
discrimination. Although they believed it was important to have a record of complaints against a landlord,
“There’s so many things going on in your life, you wonder is it worth it and would something even be done.” They
were also unsure how to take action: “When it first happened to me, I found it difficult to find the right people to
talk to.” Another participant shared an experience filing a complaint with the Human Rights Commission
regarding privacy issues and timely addressing of reasonable accommodations. That participant expressed
concern over how the matter was handled by the Commission.
Disability Commission
The purpose of this Commission as described in the Bylaws is to “centralize forces in providing information,
referral, guidance and technical assistance to ensure that people with physical, sensory, cognitive and other
disabilities have equal