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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connect residents to housing resources. Given the relative impact of rising property assessments and utility costs
on seniors (particularly lower-income seniors), the COA’s activities related to property taxes have an impact on
fair housing access for older households. The COA does not have a formal complaint process for civil rights
violations against seniors on the basis of age.
Commission History
Arlington has a decades-long history of commissions that deal with fair housing issues. The Town had a dedicated
Fair Housing Advisory Committee through the late 2000s. In 1992, the Town of Arlington formed the Vision 2020
Standing Committee, now called Envision Arlington, a group tasked with ensuring the development of the town
aligned with its long-range planning efforts. The Vision 2020 Standing Committee’s Diversity Task Group
recommended further committee formations in 1993, which resulted in the Arlington Human Rights Commission
and other groups. In 1999, Town Meeting also established the Affordable Housing Task Force to determine the
need for affordable housing in Arlington and help create more opportunities for affordable housing
development. That committee was active through 2008.
Assessment: Several Town boards and commissions deal directly with members of protected classes, though not all
are actively engaged in work that directly impacts access to fair housing choice. Two commissions hear
complaints, including complaints that could be relevant to fair housing access. The Human Rights Commission’s
complaint process is authorized by the Town’s Bylaws and includes a formalized process. The Disability
Commission’s process is informal and ad hoc, and complaints made to the Disability Commission tend to be taken
up by the staff liaison. It is useful that multiple