PRESS RELEASE
Dallas, Texas, January 22, 2020-- COMMUNITY FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTED HOUSING ("CPSH") along with individual plaintiffs and DHA, Housing Solutions for North Texas (also known as the Dallas Housing Authority or DHA) today announced that they entered into a settlement agreement in a pending housing discrimination lawsuit. This settlement agreement resolves issues related to the availability of Project-Based Vouchers for persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in the operating area of DHA: Collin, Denton, Dallas, Ellis, Kaufman, Rockwall, and Tarrant Counties, and reinforces commitments of all parties to improve housing opportunities for people with disabilities.
CPSH and DHA will work together to share information and key dates about voucher availability to people with disabilities, their families, service agencies, and property owners in the Dallas/Fort Worth ("DFW") area. CPSH will be among the organizations that will refer potential voucher holders to DHA.
"This settlement between COMMUNITY FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTED HOUSING and DHA will help us move forward to offer more safe, affordable housing options to people with disabilities. We encourage property owners to invest in homes for these underserved citizens. Through this program we hope to see many more people with disabilities move into housing of their choice throughout DFW." said Robin LeoGrande, President, COMMUNITY FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTED HOUSING.
Troy Broussard, DHA President and CEO, said “This settlement is consistent with DHA’s longstanding, continuing and ongoing support for affordable quality housing for persons with disabilities. DHA assists 9,541 households where one or more persons assisted have a disability. This total represents 44% of the number of households served by DHA and we look forward to increasing the number served to benefit persons and families in need of our housing services.”
COMMUNITY FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTED HOUSING is a charity that creates housing options with the North Texas community for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and social challenges regardless of IQ, as well as educational services for these adults and their families to encourage independent living. www.txcpsh.org or rleogrande@txcpsh.org
CPSH was represented in this matter by Relman, Dane & Colfax, PLLC, a Washington, D.C. based civil rights law firm, and by Disability Rights Texas.
DHA, Housing Solutions for North Texas provides quality, affordable housing to low-income families and individuals through the effective and efficient administration of housing assistance programs. The agency aims to create opportunities for program participants to achieve self-sufficiency and economic independence. DHA provides housing opportunities to 55,000 people through public housing developments and Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) programs. Our mission is to provide affordable quality housing and access to supportive resources across North Texas. DHA is governed by its Board of Commissioners and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. DHA is an independent, local government entity, that is separate from the Dallas City Housing/Community Services Department. www.dhantx.com
DHA was represented in this matter by Walker Bright P.C. and Greg Mays of DHA’s Office of the General Counsel.