The CDBG Program is currently seeking projects that will provide fair housing education and outreach services, as well as, reporting on the number, bases, and resolution of fair housing complaints within the 56 participating jurisdictions of the Dane County Urban County Consortium or at agencies/organizations that provide services to participating jurisdictions.

Dane County requires that all applicants complete the Vendor Questionnaire/CDBG application in it's entirety, and sign the Signature Power Form at the end of the Questionnaire. Failure to do so may result in the application to become ineligible for funding and may not be scored.

Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended (the Fair Housing Act), prohibits discrimination in all housing-related activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability. As of February 3, 2012 HUD implemented policies to ensure that its programs were open to all eligible persons and families regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status. Section 808(e)(5) of the Fair Housing Act also requires the Secretary of HUD to administer the Department’s housing and community development programs in a manner to affirmatively further fair housing. Actions to affirmatively further fair housing are to further policies of the Fair Housing Act by actively promoting wider housing opportunities for all persons while maintaining a nondiscriminatory environment in all aspects of public and private housing markets.

Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended (the Fair Housing Act), prohibits discrimination in all housing-related activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability. As of February 3, 2012 HUD implemented policies to ensure that its programs were open to all eligible persons and families regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status. Section 808(e)(5) of the Fair Housing Act also requires the Secretary of HUD to administer the Department’s housing and community development programs in a manner to affirmatively further fair housing. Actions to affirmatively further fair housing are to further policies of the Fair Housing Act by actively promoting wider housing opportunities for all persons while maintaining a nondiscriminatory environment in all aspects of public and private housing markets.

Chapter 31 of the Dane County Ordinances covers the Dane County Fair Housing regulations. This ordinance states, “that all persons shall have an equal opportunity for housing regardless of race, gender, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, domestic partnership status, family status, mental illness, disability, physical appearance, lawful source of income, student status, arrest or conviction record, sexual orientation, military discharge status, political beliefs, status as a victim of domestic violence, or the fact that a person declines to disclose his or her Social Security Number when such disclosure is not compelled by state or federal law, or the person is associated with a tenant union.”

The Wisconsin State Assembly passed two key pieces of legislation which were signed by the Governor, SB 466 and 2011 Wisconsin Act 108, which will be implemented in 2012 that can significantly impact the rights of tenants in Dane County.

The Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice in Dane County, Wisconsin prepared by Maxfield Research, Inc. reviewed data from a survey conducted by the County in 2010. The results showed that 19% of persons feel that housing discrimination was an issue in their neighborhood. Almost 5% of respondents stated they believed they had experienced housing discrimination, of which 91% did not report the incident. When asked why they did not report, nearly 48% indicated they felt it would not make any difference and 14% indicated it was too much trouble. The report also examined fair housing complaint data filed at the local, state, and federal level. One of the issues raised in the report was that the authors were unable to obtain information regarding the resolution of fair housing complaints in Dane County which calls into the question the efficacy of efforts if the resolution is unknown.

The Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice in Dane County, Wisconsin also examined home mortgage disclosure data from the Federal Financial Institutions Examinations Council (FFIEC). The data revealed that a greater percentage of loan applications made by Whites resulted in loan originations (78%) than those made by Black/African Americans (68%), Asians (66%), or Latinos (54%).

The Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice in Dane County, Wisconsin recommended that Dane County obtain and review statistics on the resolution of Fair Housing complaints filed with the appropriate jurisdictions. In addition, it was recommended that additional publicity efforts be made to alert homeowners in Dane County of the services available and to work with local lending institutions and other groups to inform and educate homeowners regarding their rights. Further it was recommended that continuing education and outreach on general and specific issues related to fair housing be provided.