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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• One act of discriminatory actions by brokerages
• Two acts of discriminatory refusal to rent
• Three acts of discriminatory terms, conditions, privileges, or services and facilities placed on tenants
• One failure to make reasonable accommodations for a protected class
• One other discriminatory act (not specified)
For the four cases completed in 2014 and 2015, investigations found probable discrimination and violators were
charged, the cases were settled, or the cases were otherwise resolved and withdrawn.65 Approximately $19,000
was awarded in compensation for cases completed in 2014. However, for the three cases completed in 2017
and 2018, no probable cause of discrimination was found, and the cases were closed. No cases were completed
in Arlington in 2016 or 2019.
Assessment: Enforcement of fair housing law is an impediment to fair housing choice in Arlington. The federal
government has delegated most enforcement responsibility to MCAD, which has limited funding to pursue fair
housing complaints across the Commonwealth. Additional responsibility is delegated to private organizations.
While the growth of Suffolk University’s involvement in fair housing is encouraging, the lack of a standalone
organization dedicated to fair housing enforcement is worrisome. The current situation could create a long-term
lack of institutional capacity to address fair housing issues, in Arlington and elsewhere in the region. The limited
funding for both MCAD and Suffolk ensures that most enforcement will be reactive to complaints by victims of
discrimination, rather than proactive. A reactive enforcement regime also requires wide education of fair housing
rights, and a reasonable assumption that fair housing complaints will help and not hinder victims’ efforts to secure
safe and