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CITY OF GIRLING, OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
HOW MAY I HELP YOU? THE ROLE OF THE OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING AND HUMAN RIGHTS ENSURES THAT, UH, PERSONS ARE NOT DISCRIMINATED BASED ON THEIR RACE, ETHNICITY, DISABILITY, AND OTHER PROTECTED CLASSES.
WE DO THIS BY PROVIDING EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO OUR LOCAL LANDLORDS.
THEY'RE PROPERTY MANAGERS AND LENDERS.
WE ALSO HAVE AN OUTREACH COMPONENT, AND THAT OUTREACH COMPONENT IS FREE, AND THAT IS SO THAT WE TRY TO MAKE GARLAND AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY.
UH, FAIR HOUSING RIGHTS IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH.
CAUSE WHEN AN ACTUAL FAIR HOUSING DISCRIMINATION SITUATION OCCURS AND PEOPLE AREN'T AWARE OF IT, UM, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE SACRIFICING RIGHTS THAT ARE ON THE TABLE.
UH, TO ME, IT'S IMPORTANT TO EDUCATE THOSE PEOPLE ON WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE IN HOUSING, UH, SO THAT THEY'RE NOT BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.
THE GARLAND HOUSING AGENCY IS A, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
WE ADMINISTER THE GRANT FUND FROM HUD CALLED THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM, AND WE PROVIDE RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO, UH, FAMILIES THAT QUALIFY.
IT'S A, IT IS AN INCOME-BASED PROGRAM, SO IT'S A SLIDING SCALE AS TO HOW MUCH WE ASSIST PEOPLE BECAUSE THE, UH, POPULATION IN THE DALLAS AREA MOVES SO OFTEN.
UH, WE ACTUALLY COVER ALL OF DALLAS COUNTY, ALL OF COLLIN COUNTY, ROCKWALL, AND EVEN JUST A LITTLE BIT OF DENTON AND KAUFMAN COUNTIES.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO THESE INSPECTIONS BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE A BASELINE.
IT LETS US KNOW WHAT'S BROKEN BEFORE YOU MOVE IN, AND AS TIME PROGRESSES, WE'RE ABLE TO KEEP TRACK WITH, UH, WHAT'S BROKEN AND WHAT'S BEING WORN OUT, WHAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, AND, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN STAY AS HAPPY AS POSSIBLE.
SO GARLAND HOUSING AGENCY HAS A, UH, BUDGET, A LITTLE OVER 13 MILLION, WHICH COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE HOUSE HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.
SO IT'S COMPLETELY GRANT FUNDED.
UH, WE HAVE NOTHING FROM THE GENERAL FUNDS.
NO TAXPAYER MONEY IS INVOLVED IN THIS WHATSOEVER.
LANDLORD CAN ACTUALLY DENY A FAMILY.
AND SO US AS AN AGENCY, WE DO OUR BEST TO ENCOURAGE LANDLORDS TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR PROGRAM, GIVE THEM ADVANTAGES TO WHY IT'S GOOD FOR THEM, UM, AND IN EXCHANGE THEY SEE THAT GARLAND PROVIDES GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE.
THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, WE BUILD HOUSES FOR FIRST TIME HOME BUYER FAMILIES.
WE PROVIDE LENDING FOR FIRST TIME HOME BUYER FAMILIES, AND WE PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A FIRST TIME HOME BUYER FAMILY TO HAVE THE AMERICAN DREAM OF HOME OWNERSHIP.
THERE IS NO BETTER FEELING IN THE WORLD THAN TO KNOW YOU'VE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE'S LIFE ABOUT PROVIDING THEM A HOME.
IN MOST CASES, THESE PEOPLE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET A HOME ANYWHERE ELSE BECAUSE WE ONLY REQUIRE $500 DOWN FOR SOMEONE TO GET INTO A HOME.
AND IT'S ATTAINABLE FOR WORKING CLASS FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS IN THIS MARKET.
WE ACTUALLY DO BUILD HOMES AND FINANCE THEM, MAKE THEM AFFORDABLE, AND ALLOW, UM, HOPEFULLY YOUNG FAMILIES TO GET INTO HOMES THAT THEY OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD.
UH, THAT'S A REALLY PART AND PARCEL WITH WHAT WE DO, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STABILIZING COMMUNITIES AND STABILIZING NEIGHBORHOODS BY ALLOWING NEW FAMILIES TO COME INTO THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, WITHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY WORKING TOGETHER.
THIS TYPE OF THING CAN'T HAPPEN AND, UH, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE WITHIN THE CITY OF GARLAND COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS PROJECT AND PROGRAM.