Fair Housing

FAIR HOUSING PLAN

Bay County, Florida

September 2021

I.Introduction

Bay County understands the importance of taking action to further fair housing in the
community and is committed to meeting its responsibilities in this respect as a recipient of
Federal Community Development Block Grant and Community Development Block
Grant-DR and Mitigation and any other Federal funding. To ensure that residents are
aware of fair housing provisions under Federal and State law and of the processes and
assistance available to obtain compliance with existing statutes, the County has
developed this Fair Housing Plan. The Plan describes the procedures developed to further
 fair housing in the community.

II.Availability Of Information
The County’s Fair Housing Plan recognizes that public knowledge of fair housing
provisions is the first step in expanding equal opportunity. Toward that end, the County
has taken, or will take the following actions:

     A.     Appoint a Fair Housing Officer
             The Fair Housing Officer, who holds the title of Collaborative Services Director
             can be contacted at 850-215-2479, 840 W. 11th Street, Panama City, FL 32401,
             appointed by the County Legislature, has the following responsibilities:

       1.    Maintain Federal and State fair housing information in the Collaborative
               Services Director’s Office including brochures issued by the U. S.
               Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the State of
               Florida Commission on Human Relations.

       2.    Record initial information regarding housing discrimination complaints on a
              standard form.

       3.    Forward copies of all complaints to and, as appropriate, consult with the Fair
              Housing/Equal Opportunity Division of the applicable HUD Office.

  B.       Provide Information
            The County will make available, upon request, copies of applicable Federal and
            State laws which contain anti-discrimination provisions, including Title VI of the
            Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, Fair Housing
            Amendments Act of 1988 and the Florida Fair Housing Act, Title XLIV, Chapter
            760.

   C.    County will conduct one Fair Housing Activity each Quarter, Display Fair Housing
           Posters in the Housing Office and make Fair Housing Resources Available.

   D.   County will establish a system to record each fair housing call - nature of
          call, actions taken in response to call, results of the action taken and if the caller was
          referred to another agency.

The County will designate the month of April as Fair Housing Month and will
promote said designation through County Legislature proclamation.

The County will further promote fair housing and housing resources by posting
Fair Housing posters in visible locations within County buildings.

The County will actively pursue Federal and State funding sources that primarily
assist low and moderate income persons to achieve affordable housing
opportunities. The County will carefully monitor the activities of agencies and
contractors engaged in these programs to ensure that the funds are primarily
benefiting low to moderate-income persons and benefiting the target population
of the program.

The County will require contractors and/or agencies who the County contracts
with to administer CDBG funded housing programs to:

      A) Demonstrate they afford equal employment opportunities to all
          persons.

      B) Take affirmative steps to ensure that all segments of the community
           regardless of economic, racial or ethnic status are informed of grant
           opportunities.

      C) Demonstrate that their program benefits are not awarded in ways that
           discriminate.

      D) Take affirmative steps to promote fair and equal housing.

      E) In addition to equal access, affirmatively further fair housing
           accessibility for persons with disabilities.

All CDBG funded projects for which the County is the recipient whether it is for
housing, infrastructure, or economic development, attention to civil rights, fair
housing and equal opportunity component for the CDBG project must be all
inclusive, from the project design phase to the final progress report..

The County shall incorporate and promote fair housing opportunities in the
County’s Comprehensive Plan.

The County shall notify local banks and realtors of fair housing activities and enlist
their support and active participation.

      III. Discrimination Complaints

The County will provide information and assistance to individuals who feel that they have
been the victims of discrimination in regard to housing.

     A.    Discriminatory Housing Practices

            For the purpose of this Plan, a discriminatory housing practice means an act that is
            unlawful under sections 804, 805, 806 or 818 of the Fair Housing Act (Title VIII of
            the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended). Such discriminatory housing practices include discrimination in the sale                or rental of housing, discrimination in the provision of brokerage services, or interference, coercion, or intimidation,                as defined under the Act, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or familial status.

     B.    Receiving Complaints

            The Fair Housing Officer will record information on a standard form to ensure that
            a complete file is established. Following this, the Fair Housing Officer will then
            contact the Department of HUD and/or the Florida Commission of Human
            Relations to review the particulars of the complaint and request guidance in the
            formal filing of the complaint in cases where the individual decides to use this
            method. Copies of all complaints will also be forwarded to the Fair Housing and
            Equal Opportunity Division of the HUD Office in Atlanta, Georgia.

The address is Atlanta Region Office of FHEO
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Five Points Plaza
40 Marietta 16th Floor
Atlanta, GA 30303-2806
1-800-440-8091
Adopted: January 24, 2018
Resolution: 2018-26