" the Judiciary. Subcommittee on Civil and EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN RURAL HOUSING HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON CIVIL AND CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY NINETY-FOURTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN RURAL HOUSING JULY, 20, 22, AND 23, 1976 Serial No. 51 Printed for the use of the Committee on the Judiciary U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1976 76-992 O JACK BROOKS, Texas COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY PETER W. RODINO, JR., New Jersey, Chairman ROBERT W. KASTENMEIER, Wisconsin DON EDWARDS, California WILLIAM L. HUNGATE, Missouri KF27 J847 1976 EDWARD HUTCHINSON, Michigan Cannon, Hugh, Deputy Director, Office of General Counsel, Com- munity Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture_ Cavanaugh, Gordon, executive director, Housing Assistance Council__ Conn, Paul, Director of Multifamily Housing Loan Division, U.S. Thacker, Elmira, Research Division, Housing Assistance Council___ Tippins, William, Equal Opportunity Office, U.S. Department of Additional material- Analysis of Farmers Home Administration housing loan applications 57 186 Housing Assistance Council's May 1976 Report: "Housing of Minori- Memorandum of Understanding on use of section 8 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 and section 515 of the Housing Act of 1949. Section 515 loans approved by FmHA with section 8 rental assistance ل Appendixes- Appendix 2.-Correspondence containing Hon. Don Edwards request women_. Appendix 3.-Letter dated June 4, 1976 from subcommittee chairman Hon. Don Edwards to the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Hon. Earl L. Butz.... Page 235 278 336 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN RURAL HOUSING TUESDAY, JULY 20, 1976 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON CIVIL AND CONSTITUTIONAL Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:37 a.m., in room 2237, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Don Edwards [chairman of the subcommittee] presiding. Present: Representatives Edwards, Drinan, and Butler. Also present: Janet M. McNair, counsel, and Roscoe B. Starek III, associate counsel. Mr. EDWARDS. The subcommittee will come to order. I am pleased this morning to call to order the first day of subcommittee hearings on equal opportunity in the rural housing programs of the Farmers Home Administration. The Farmers Home Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, administers at least seven housing programs which are designed to upgrade the living conditions of America's ill-housed rural residents. In fiscal year 1975 Farmers Home provided rural housing loans and grants amounting to well over $2 billion, and this subcommittee is opening these hearings today to examine whether our minority population, living in a disproportionate share of substandard rural housing, is benefiting fairly from the distribution of such funds. Four years ago, as part of an extensive housing oversight effort, we received testimony from the Farmers Home Administration, and we issued a report in 1972 finding serious fault with that agency's lack of appeal procedures for those denied its loans. Now, in the 94th Congress, we have again undertaken efforts to examine the degree to which Federal housing programs are promoting fair, equal, and integrated housing. We heard from the Department of Housing and Urban Development in March of this year, and we will hear from the Farmers Home Administration during this series of hearings. Our first witness this morning is Mr. Michael R. Masinter, an attorney with Florida Rural Legal Services in Homestead, Fla. Mr. Masinter, who is deputy director of Florida Rural Legal Services, is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center. He joined Florida Rural Legal Services in 1973 and since that time he has become very familiar with the operation of Farmers Home-financed projects in the Florida communities where he works. We welcome Mr. Masinter today to present his views on the adequacy of Farmers Home enforcement of the nondiscrimination requirement in its housing programs. Mr. Masinter, you may proceed. (1) |