14-10997r CITY OF RICHFIELD
RESOLUTION NO. 10997
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF RICHFIELD
TO FILE A HUD FAIR HOUSING COMPLAINT
WHEREAS the Twin Cities region suffers from severe and persistent racial
concentrations of poverty; and
WHEREAS affordable housing in the Twin Cities region is disproportionately
located within Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and the inner-ring suburbs, where there are
already large concentrations of low-income and nonwhite families; and
WHEREAS this imbalance harms low-income and nonwhite families by
restricting their access to the employment prospects, quality education, and other
opportunities that define economically diverse, racially integrated communities; and
WHEREAS this imbalance also harms the cities and suburbs that contain
concentrations of poverty, by reducing their tax base and potentially inducing middle-
class flight; and
WHEREAS the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency and the Metropolitan
Council have helped create and administer a system that intensifies and perpetuates
concentrations of poverty by disproportionately allocating Low-Income Housing Tax
Credits to areas already containing most of the region's affordable housing; and
WHEREAS the Metropolitan Council explicitly prioritizes other sources of
affordable housing funding for municipalities that have already constructed many
affordable units; and
WHEREAS, contrary to the requirements of federal law, the Metropolitan
Council has failed to review, examine, or even discuss these problems in its recent
Analysis of Impediments; and
WHEREAS the federal Fair Housing Act proscribes activities that perpetuate
racial segregation in housing, and imposes upon governmental entities receiving federal
funding a responsibility to affirmatively further fair housing; and
WHEREAS providing fair housing choice is an essential and indispensable
component of any strategy to combat the region's persistent racial concentrations of
poverty and attendant social problems.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Richfield is authorized
to file a HUD Fair Housing Complaint concerning the activities of the State of Minnesota
and its agents; and
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Richfield appoints and retains
Myron Orfield and Michael Allen as counsel for the purpose of filing this complaint.
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Richfield, Minnesota this 28th day of
October, 2014.
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Debbie Goettel, Mayor
ATTEST:
Nancy Gibbs, ity Clerk
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