New law causes city leaders to look over Fair Housing Act - WAFF-TV: News, Weather and Sports for Huntsville, AL

New law causes city leaders to look over Fair Housing Act

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By Margo Gray - bio | email
Huntsville City Council is reviewing the Fair Housing Act to avoid violations in future. Huntsville City Council is reviewing the Fair Housing Act to avoid violations in future.
HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) -

Huntsville city leaders want to stay out of the danger zone over "fair housing" and any violations that may come from a new state law.

Lawmakers passed Senate Bill 205 in May, requiring the Huntsville Housing Authority to give notice to residents in any neighborhood where they plan to buy property.

The question the HHA wants to know is if the law may be violating the Fair Housing Act.

Huntsville leaders want to take a second look at the law just to be clear, before it goes into effect August 1st, that they are not violating the Fair Housing Act in any way.

Monday afternoon, the housing authority board sat down and passed a resolution asking HUD for guidance on how to implement the law.

The law requires the housing authority to notify residents in a neighborhood before purchasing any property.

The law only applies to Huntsville's Housing Authority; nowhere else in the state has to follow this law.

Supporters of the law say the HHA just doesn't want to be transparent.

"Announcing our purchasing plans for property doesn't bother us. We have already been doing that," said HHA Chairman Phillip Redrick. "What does bother us is when people come up with unsubstantiated information against something that they haven't gotten the facts on."

In the past few years, some Huntsville residents have pushed back when the HHA has shown interest in buying property, with claims that it will hurt their property values.

"The law doesn't hinder the HHA. All it asks is for notification ahead of time," said Rep. Mike Ball who sponsored the bill in the House.

If the law is found to be violating fair housing, there could be all kinds of consequences. It could open the city up to possible litigation. It could also tarnish Huntsville's reputation when it comes to providing fair housing, which could also impact federal funding.

The city of Huntsville is expected to come out on Thursday in full support of HUD taking a really close look at this law.

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