HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998 Resolution No. 055•
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RESOLUTION NO .~
SERIES OF 1998
A RESOLUTIO N SUPPORTING H.R. 3206, A BILL 'ilO AMEND THE FAIR HOUSING
ACT .
WHEREAS. H .R. 3206 would allow loc,,I ~ to regul•te the proximity of one
group home to a nother by adopting reasonable ~laDon amtaining dispersal requirements
to prevent the concentration of s uch homea in a partIA:l:Olar neighborhood: and
WHEREAS. H.R. 3206 wo)lld enable local go,·ermments to place a cap on the number of
unrelated recovering substance abusers allowed to res.:dt-in a group home located 1.n an area
zoned for single-family dwellings : and
WHEREAS. H.R. 3206 would allow local governme:its to place restriction• on the
occup•ncy of group homes serving persons with disa.bcoes by anyone convicted of a crime
punisha ble by at least a one year prison term or iuvi,ci!es adjudicated delinquents on the
haaia of cond u ct that would con.ti cute a crime ,1 eo=tted by an adult : and
WHEREAS, H.R. 3206 protects local ci tizens from !:,,,mg the target of libel lawsuits or
other sanctions for petitioning their locally elected offnc.als m an effo rt to make known their
oppoaition to a proposed lfl"OUP home in their ne 1ghbori>ood: and
WHEREAS, local officials would also be protected ..-hen they make policy deciaio ns in
re sponse to constituent complainta about the siaq alf i:,,,up home s under H.R. 3206. which
is significant be ca use under current law . local offic.ak can be investigated and prosecuted for
discrimination by the United States Department J=ce for responding to constituents
complaints that DOJ considers di&eru11inatory ag3lll81! group homes that either house or
plan to house perso ns with disabilities; and
WHEREAS. H.R. 3206 reqwre• that fair hounng =platnts be filed m suffie1ent detatl
to e nable the defe nd ant to prepare an mform ed re-:.,:c:cse and defe nse: and
WHEREAS . H.R. 3206 clanfies the mearung oi "fa::::uly" by making protectio n from
discrimination on the basis of familial status a\·atlabII:!:' onl y to gr oups of persons rela ted by
blood , marriage. or adoption, nnd to foste r children tI::lde r 1 who share a household with
persons related by blood , marnage . or adopuon: and
WHEREAS. H.R. 3206 requires that an aggn.,ved' party seek.mg to •sta blis h a gro up
home in a particular area exhau st any available ad.c:.:m.strative remed1es at th e s tate or
loca l leve l before filing a fair ho using co mplaint m ~al co urts:
NOW , THEREFORE. BE IT RE SOL\'ED BY THE CI7Y COLl~C IL Of T HE CITY OF
E NGLE WOO D. COLOR..\DO . THAT:
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~. The City Council of the City of Englewood , Colorado unanimously adopts this
Resolution 1upporting H.R. 3206, a bill to amend the Fair Housing Act.
ADOPTED AND APPROVED this 18th day of May , 1998 .
Fair Housing Bill Would
Return Group Home Zoning
Controls to Local Governments
&:tWalt ... ··~h
Strum .~... ✓.U Cowud
T he House Judic1 arv CJnm-
cuc 1on Subcomm1cc cc has
approved leiis lac1 vn chac
would amend ch c ie-..!erill P.m Hou.5 mg
Act and LU 196S .imendm cncs by
re rum1n1 N me :onmg ,md land use
co nrrols co IOC3 l iQVemmcncs when chc
ming 1Jf rro up homes m :i rcl.S resmcted
oo unale ,fum1ly J11.•c!lmg, lS ,H mue.
Know n JS the F.m Hous in g :-\mcnJ-
meou .~cc oi 199d . H.R. J:C6 would
make 1c clS1cr fo r !ocJI ~\·emmcncs co
ke!r if'OUP humes :'o r ret1J vcnng .irug
add, :.s . Jlcohulic1 an.! ,onv1c:s J ue .Jr·
smg!e -f.im1h-nc1ghborhooch. JnJ Jt :h e
same nmc. mah~ 1c mo re J11T1cul t for
r:1,unnffs co 1A.'tn Jts.:::m111arion la"iuics
aga1ruc locJ\ group home OpFoncms .
Tne b1ll lJ now un.!e: ,oru1d eranon l:v
the House JuJic1ar;C-,mmmee. ta ii nal
hurdle bcrOre going ~o chc full Howe
for a vo cc .
The propl!seJ lcgula c1 on 'NoulJ
css crm:illy gua ran tc ~ locJI govern-
menu the nqhc to u.sc n1lnd1scnmin:1-
tor: rcgulanons th:u ii.mhcr th e ll b1 ec·
U \'CS oi public saic:-.-JnJ prc sc:--:mg
nnglc -fum1lv ne ighi:o rh.»Js . In JCd1-
t10n to the rcsmc:1on:a Jlrc::id\' men•
uoncd. cmcs am.! coun t1cJ woulJ be
a.blc to rcgul:uc the ;:ro,:1mtr\' ar.J Jen -
s1cy or" grou11 restd1d en ual foc1l1t !es JnJ
the 0t.:cu~anc ·1 tJi such iactltt1~ r,ot JWC
by adulcs who ha ve commmcd !e:iow;
cnmcs bu t all() JU\'Cnilc 0ffcnJc!'S ;er.··
mg their sentences . -Z2 Muruopal w,ry<r
The Sf cc1fic prov1S10r.s cJnta.i=.d
in H.R. JZC6. whose duel s;oe.>e o ""°'"
Rcprcs e:1c ;1t 1\'t1 Brain B1lbra \ R~
lif.J.°"1rlc,C.,nadv (R-Fb. I. i.....! ·=
P.arman (R·CJhi.). :1re .umci J; JA:·
compl1.s h1 nj :he iolltJw1ng .:i f:Jie-:·:1 .. ·d-
• Procectmi loc::il ~m:::-.s ~
be ing the carict -Ji libel la\'-"f m
O{hcr ;ancnons fo r pe m1om r:.1 d·.
loolly elec:ed orttcia ls in an ,Eon :::
mak e kn-Jwn th eir oppo51t1 on to a. r .. -:r
posed group home m the ir l'\f':,r'i.1."" •
hood . l.oc,I ofltttals would 31,.:, b. ;,::.-
ccc td when the\' make polic·: Je=-
510ru in re,~rue co coruncuc :u .:=c:i
plamu :ibouc the smngllf i?'OUf ~.ol?:d..
Tnis ts ugnii1cJm bttJ~ ur.::e: =-=·
re nt law, lo..:JI Jit1c:als .;1n be .n•·~-
ga teJ and rrosccutd ior J t.cc.:-:.r.t::;.t-
uo n by che Ln1tcd 5t:iccs De;:ar:n::c::::.::
oi)u.ttce(C'Oj) fo r rcsi,oaJtr<i :o ·-•
mrue r.c ,ompla mu chat CCJ .:or..:!...:•
ers Jucnm,ru cor: ag:11ruc .ifOU ; :,.Cr::i:::,
thJ t etch er howc tJ r plan ~o i:1..:1-~ ;-e::-
so ns with J,sabtlme,.
• Rc qu mng ch at fa ir htJw..=:.5
compl:iinu be riled m )ult1c:e:-.t iF-Ell
to enable ch e Jcr'cndanr :o p-e;-are ~
informed rc~t oruc Jnd Jcr·c:ue:
• Clanfr 1ng the mclt:.:i.j .:>r·
.. fom1lv " bv maktnli ;:rot cc::o n ;:-=-i
J1sc:1mmac 1o n .:i n th e :ans .:.i ~::?::......i
Hatw Jv:i,la~le Jnl\-co group Jr ;~-
sons rclaccJ by blood. mar.:a's ~-:rr
adopt1on. Jr:d co fostc:.::h1ld :c:--. Jr..:ie:
18 who sha re J howehtJ ld w1c:'i ;-c:3,...-c,.5
related bv blooJ, mama~e. or ldc,=.
• Rcqumng chac ,m ;aggr:e~
pam-,eckmg to csc:ibli.sh :i ifOU(: he c
in J particula r Jrc:1 e:chausc an •: .iv-r...-
able odman1Hr2nve mnedie ar die,,...
or Ioc.:,l level befure Riina • fai r hou,.
inc complain In iederal cowt.
• Allowmr loal aovemmencs co
rqulace chc prosi mlr:y of one l"'UP
home co another--.1 , lw, tho,e cha,
house ind ivid uals wi th phy,ical Jisabtli •
DC>-by adopcins ....anablc lqisladon
ccn ialnanadbpmal n,quimneno m pn,·
venc chr. concenaadon of such homes
111 • p,r-:c,1 lar ne1ehborhood.
• E obiing h :al aovc mmcncs co
place a ca p on the numbe r of unre lated
recovenng subscance .ibuse!'S allowed co
rende ma group home loc:iccd 1n an m:i
:cn,d ior ;1111 lc-l'om 1ly Jwellnp: ,nd
• Allo u. ng !oc:il jO\"emmenc:s co
place mmcuons ,,n th,-oc:u pancy or·
group ho md ;ervm . persons w1th Ji.s -
ab ili ttcs by anmne convicted -J r° l cnme
punt.shab lc by at le:isc J tJ nc ·:~r pns.:i n
tern'-or JU\"entle-.i .id juJ,cacd Jelin•
qur.r:Ll .:i n the bili 15 oi co nduce cha r
o;1,·oulJ co ru mucc .1 cnme 1r· .:ommmcJ
b,· an JJu lt.
Senate Panel Approves
Takings Legislation
A .::onrroven1al '"takings· ball chat was
l"''ed laic ,·cor by the L'.S. House oi
Rc;:rcsenc nves .and would enable prop•
err..-owne rs co rak e th eir lanJ -wc Jis-
putd •,vtth lcol authont1cs dirccd\· 1nro
fedc n l ~ou n: moved on e nef closer co
gaming .:he ruFpo n: oi both ho wes oi
C1J n1Jre:s when th e Senate JuJk1ar.·
Comm 1tte-c p\·e 1a enJol'5Cmenc co J
sut'Smu cc \"C::-511,m .:if H.R. l5H on .in
c1i!\t co cc:,, ;:,am· li ne vote rakcn on
Fe!:ru:irv :o . 1995 . Des pite ,cs furnrab le
JuJic:::i r: C.;!mm,nce rc;on, howev er.
the l~ts lamm mil iac~ ,c:vcr::i l hurdles
on 1cs wa\ co beco ming ch e law -Jf the
lanJ . Jud1cLJ["\' Comm1ccce Dcmoc r::iu .
anJ ;om e Reru bltcJn lawm::iken. c:c-
1 prcssd )C::':-Jus rc:scrvauoru a!:-Jct sup •
p1.mmg J !:11! :!".ac ~-ould rrc emp t loc ll
govemme :'lt lanJ we anJ :on1ng a1•
chtJm \' ,1r,.! e:cfJnJ lit1gat1c n Jj"atn:it
cmcs Jn..i .:~unties 1n r"cdt a'. .. cur:. :-\r
lclSt three or' th\J1 e ScnJ hm--D1ane
Fe irumr. (D-C,ltf.). Robert Tomcelli
(D-~.J.). md ?,mck Lo,h y (D-V c.)-
hav e Jnnounccd pl aru to f1l1Cusc er the
bill 1f i t rt::1c:les the Senate Floor. The
Clmton .k.lm1ruscrmon lS aUO en record
a.s oppl.ls tng the \~islat1o n anJ . b:icd an
conan utd on page .?J
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FEDERAL amtinwd /ram P<lf' 22
"'re:enr sptteh by Vice Pr.,ideru Gore
cm the National Lneue of C ities
(CNLC), has promised ro vero die bill
Jf a reaches hu desk. Boch che Wlme
:Hou,e uu! Congr,ssional detractors
-joined in their opposition by loal
"'1=ed offici2ls irom across che nacion .
:me Attorneys General of all but •
.handful of ;aces. and organi:.lnoru
swch,. IML.-'.:-<1.Cuu! che U.S . Con •
~ofMayors.
Opponents repid che lqulanor.
as an attempt co impose a one-1i1e •
fies-all federal limimlon on loca l
land-us• dec:sion-rnaking auchoriry.
Under ""~Ml law. developers are r,,,
quired ro finr cake advanrage of any
local remedies chat ar,, available to
reolve their disputes and rhen pur-
sue a uace court appe:il befo re takmg
their complai.r.s co federa l court. The
significance of H.R. l)j ,J uems fro m
the fact char ir •Nould ,nabl e devel op,
en to short -c ircuit that process by no
long<r having co negoti•t• wich loco:
:oning boards and ocher officials to
ruch solu cions to loc:il land use
concroversies . lrutc:ad , the y wo uld be
able co haul ciry anc .:ou nry official,
into federal ,:oun ro challenge J locJ l
land use or :on inj Jere rm1nacion
without fine having to exhaust lool
adminll tr.it ivc remedies or lf~e:ilini
in n~ce court .
Th, u :rt oi H.R.. 153; :J Jvtuiam,
""""f\"'' -~lcmbm Onl:," ""2ll\oilML,s
Wtb nu Jt :m~://W\\'\li/.1 mla..J rt M. -MarcNApnl !998 Vol. 39, .'llo. 2 23
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HR3206 IH
To amend the Fair Housing AcL
105111 CO NGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 3206
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Februry 12, 1998
Mr. BILBRA Y (fo r himself, Mr. CANAD Y of Fl ori da, and Ms . HAR.'lilAN) introduced the foll owing
bill ; which was referred to the Comminee on cbe Judi ciary
ABILL
To amend the Fair Housing Ac t.
Be it enacted by th e Se nare and House o • Representatives of the United States of America in
Co ngress asse mbled.
SECTIO N I. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the 'Fair Housing Amendments Ac t of 199 8'.
SEC. 2. FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTIONS .
Th e Fair Ho usi ng Act (42 C.S.C. 360 1 ai seq.) is ame nded by adding at th e end th e fo ll owing :
'PROTECTION OF FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS
'SEC. 821. (a) No 1hi ng in this Act shall be construed to make the express ion of an op ini on or the
seeki ng of redress from public authority a vio lation of this Act.
'(b) A party shall not be held liable or om emi se sanctioned under this Ac t fo r engaging in
li1igation or adm ini strative proceedings unless--
.(1) the party does so fo r an improper purpose, such as to harass or cause unne cessary de lay
or needlessly to increase th e cost of the litigatio n or pr oceedings; and
'(})(A) the claims . defen ses. and th er legal contentions of the party in th e lit igatio n or
proceedin gs are not warranted b:· a isting law or by a nonfri vo lous argum en t fo r th e
extensi on. modification. or revers,] of exi sting law or the establis hm ent of new law ; or
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'(B) th e all egatio ns and other facrual contentio ns, fo r which the party in th e li tigat ion or
proceeding s has the burden of going forward wi th the evidence. have no evide nti ary
su pp ort .'. •
SEC. 3. SPECIFICITY OF COMPL.\.L'\1T.
sn/98 11 :24 AM
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Section 810(a)(l)(B)(ii) of the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C . 3610(aXl)(B)(ii)} ·
insening · in sufficient detail to allow the respondent to prepare a response aoo
defenses' after 'practice' .
SEC. 4. EXHAUSTION OF STATE REMEDIES.
Section 815 of the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3615) is amended--
(!) by inserting '(a)' before 'Nothing in'; and
(2) by adding at the end the following :
'(b) A provision ofa State or local law shall not be construed to violate this title ifthie party
alleging such violation has not first sought appropriate relief through available admn:nstrative
procedures provided by ihe State or local government regarding the application of tllal provision
of law .'.
SEC. 5. CLARIFICA HON OF FAMILIAL STATUS PROTECTION.
Section 802(k) of the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3602(k)) is amended--
(!) in paragraph(!), by striking 'person' and inserting 'individual'; and
(2) by adding at the end the follo ,vi ng : 'With respect to a State or local law, th,:: •;,rotections
afforded against discrimination on the basis of familial stal\lS apply only with =pcct to
groups of persons related by blood , marriage, or adoption, an .! with respect to " child under
the age of 18 years living in a foster care arrangement with persons who arc so related .' .
SEC. 6. LOCAL CONTROL OF RESIDENTIAL USES.
£.VD
Section 80 7 of the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3607) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
'(c) No thin g in thi s title prevent s--
. (I ) State or local government regulation of faci litie s for reside ntial serv ices fo,r persons
with handicaps . if such regulation reasonabl y require s the dispersal of such facilities:
'(2) State or local government restriction on the ma.,im um number ofunrelat~ persons
permined to occupy a Jwelling , in an are a restricted to sin gle fami ly dwellin gs. as appli ed to
a recovering drug addict or alc oholic ; or
'(3) State or local government restriction on the occupanc y of facilities for residential
serv ices for persons with handi cap s. by perso ns co nvicted of a clime, fo r which a term of
impri so nment greater than one year may be imp osed. or juve nile s adjudi cated delinquents
on the basis of conduct th at would co nsti tute such a clim e if commined by an adult.'.
sn/98 11 :24 AM
,, 10 urn
City of Englewood
CITYCOU CIL
~t•H~t
~'YOf Pro Tem
"'Luge
!eYerly J. a, .. 6:ww
Counci!Me.rnbe'
"'Luge
~ a.pp
CoundlMomber
Olsmc: Ill
0ou;u =
Cooncil Mem.De'
Ol smc:rv
Ann Nlbnot%
Council Me.~
Olsmc:I
~lb\.14ggon~
CouncU M~Dt'
"'t..us•
l.lOO South tun Suee-
L"'IS)cwood. (OtOr ilCO
80 110·23 0~
Phorue {303} 762 -23 10
F>J< (3 03 ) 762 -Z-108
May 7, 1998
Representative Dan Schaefer , District 6
2 160 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington , D.C. 20515
Senator Wayne Allard
716 Hart Senate Office Build ing
Washingto n, D.C. 20510
Brian Bilbray. Distri ct CA 49
1530 Longworth House Office Bu ilding
Washi ngton , D.C. 20515-0549
RE GARD lN G: Group Homes
Senator Be n Nig hthorse Campbell
380 Ru r;s ell Ser.at ~ Office Bldg .
Washington . D.C. 20510
Charles Canady , FL District 12
2432 Ra yburn House Office Bldg .
Washington . D.C. 20515-0549
Jan Harma n. FL Distri ct 36
325 Cannon H.O.B.
Washington . D.C. 20515 -0536
Th e City of Englewood . Colorado , is very concerned with group hom e
legislation . sp ecifi cally. H.R. 3206. Attache d is a resol uti on adopted by
unanimous vote of the City Council of the City of Englew ood . We cannot
siress en ough how important it is to our constitue nts tha t the local
go vern ment be all owed to participate in legis lating on this se nsi tive to pi c.
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Page 2
May 11, 1998
If you would like additiolllll information or haw any questions concerning
group homes, please feel free b contact any member on City Council or on
staff.
Sincerely,
Thomas J . Burns
Mayor
Beverly Bradshaw
Council Member
Douglas Garrett
Council Member
Kells Waggoner
Council Member
Attachment
Alexandra Habenicht
May or Pro, Tern
Lawi Clapp
Council Member
AnnNabholz
Co un cil Member