LHA Fair Housing Marketing Plan

(1) When a Fair Housing Marketing Plan is Necessary. All LHAs shall engage in and promote fair housing and engage in tenant selection practices so as to prevent discrimination and to promote equal opportunity. The Department shall from time to time review an LHA's tenant selection policies or practices. Each LHA shall biennially determine whether the percentage for each minority group in the LHA's housing by program is significantly below the percentage for the minority group in the general population of the city or town or in the general population of the applicable metropolitan statistical area, whichever is greater, and, if so, shall update and implement its written fair housing marketing plan (FHMP) to ensure affirmative outreach to the minority group. The term "minority" shall have the meaning provided in 760 CMR 5.03: Definitions. (2) Contents of the FHMP. An LHA's FHMP shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following: (a) Specification of the percentages for each minority group in the general population of the city or town and in the general population of the metropolitan statistical area; based on the most current available census data. (b) Provision for correction of any procedures or policies which have had a negative effect on applications by or selection of minorities or other classes of persons protected under fair housing laws. 4.07: continued (c) A description of special efforts which will be undertaken to attract applications from members of under represented minority groups (i.e., minority groups whose proportion among LHA tenants is less than their proportion of the general population of the municipality or statistical area); such special efforts shall include, but shall not necessarily be limited to, advertising in minority community newspapers and media, and contacting minority community organizations. In any such ad, the LHA shall include the logo and slogan "Equal Housing Opportunity" in type size at least equivalent to other wording. (d) A description of outreach efforts regarding persons with disabilities. Such efforts shall include providing notice of accessible units in accordance with M.G.L. c. 151B, § 4(7A). (3) Non-compliance with a Plan. If the Department determines that an LHA has not followed its FHMP, it shall require such LHA to take specific corrective measures. The corrective measures shall continue until the LHA demonstrates to the Department that the LHA is in compliance with its FHMP and that the consequences of its past violations have been remedied.