Arkansas Property Owners/Managers Must Undergo Fair Housing Training to Get Resources

The Arkansas Fair Housing Commission and the Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to affirmatively further fair housing by providing fair housing education, training, and outreach to ADFA program participants. Under this agreement, identified ADFA program participants (including property owners, managers, architects, developers, and consultants) will be required to complete fair housing training from the fair housing commission as a condition of allocation of any ADFA affordable housing resources.

The intent of the MOU is to enhance communication and cooperation between the two agencies and broaden ADFA program participant compliance with the Arkansas Fair Housing Act.

Commission Director Carol Johnson said that the agreement, signed in January, underscores the state’s commitment to promoting equal housing access for all Arkansas. January 2011 marked the 10th anniversary of the Arkansas Fair Housing Act.

ADFA is Arkansas’ largest source of low-cost financing for low-to-moderate income housing development, and also administers several funding sources in the form of tax-exempt bonds and other debt instruments through a series of program activities.