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<br />Actions to Address Identified Impediments: During the 2004-2005 report period the <br />City undertook the following actions (on its own or in cooperation with regional partners) <br />to address the impediments to fair housing choice identified in the regional AI: <br /> <br />· The City continued to support education, counseling and enforcement services at an <br />effective and responsive level. The Fair Housing Council of Orange County <br />(FHCOC) provided fair housing services to 1,534 households during the 2004-2005 <br />Program Year. Activities included: <br /> <br />Fair Housinq Community Education - Activities included conducting over 140 <br />presentations that averaged 45 individuals per session. Also, FHCOC published <br />and distributed four fair housing newsletters, spoke at public meetings, and held <br />training programs for consumers and also for professionals in the housing industry <br />(i.e" real estate agents, property managers, owners, and lending institution). The <br />FHCOC also held a region-wide equal-housing opportunity theme contest that was <br />open to all Orange County grade schools. <br /> <br />Fair Housinq Enforcement - Activities included responding to 270 housing <br />discrimination complaints within the region. Response actions included, <br />investigation, testing, "portfolio" evaluation of the merits of fair housing claims, and <br />when appropriate, conciliation and/or prosecution of meritorious housing <br />discrimination cases, <br /> <br />Tenant Leqal Assistance - Activities included legal assistance in 72 housing court <br />actions within the region, which involved important housing rights, issues such as <br />eviction, housing discrimination, substandard conditions, or retaliation for exercising <br />a lawful right. <br /> <br />Housinq Dispute Evaluation & Resolution - Activities included assisting more than <br />5,400 regional-households by objectively evaluating over 17,800 housing issues that <br />were in dispute. <br /> <br />Mediation Proqram - Activities included resolving 575 disputes through mediation or <br />conciliation. Certified mediators assisted housing providers and consumers resolve <br />disputes without litigation. <br /> <br />· FHCOC has applied for and received FHIP funding to investigate the disparity in <br />denial rates as evidenced by the HMDA data. The testing indicated that systemic <br />discrimination occurs within some of the mortgage lenders within Orange County. <br />During the report period, no additional action was taken. FHCOC intends to develop <br />and market lending industry training during the 2005-2006 report period. By the end <br />of FY 2005-2006, FHCOC will have an education program to market to the lending <br />industry, and will begin a marketing plan aimed at the lending sector in 2006-2007. <br />A fee charged to lending professionals attending the seminars will cover the cost of <br />presenting the education. <br /> <br />9 <br /> <br />9/7/05 <br /> <br />190-13 <br />