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LOCAL
The Champion, Thursday, May 21 - 27, 2015
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Mortgage financier Fannie Mae has been accused of neglecting properties in minority neighborhoods. Photos provided
Mortgage giant Fannie Mae accused
of racial discrimination in DeKalb
by Andrew Cauthen
andrew@dekalbchamp.com
Fannie Mae, one of the
largest owners of foreclosed
homes in the country, has
been accused of housing
discrimination in DeKalb
County and metro Atlanta
in addition to 33 other met
ro areas around the nation.
“What were alleging
in this complaint against
Fannie Mae is that they
have neglected properties
in neighborhoods of color,
failing to properly maintain
and market in the same way
that they have marketed in
White neighborhoods,” said
Joyce Catrett, director of
enforcement for Metro Fair
Housing Services Inc., dur
ing a news conference in
Decatur May 13.
At various news confer
ences around the nation, the
National Fair Housing Alii -
ance (NFHA) and 19 local
fair housing organizations
announced the filing with
HUD of a housing discrimi
nation complaint against
Fannie Mae.
The groups allege that
“Fannie Mae maintains and
markets its foreclosures
(also known as real estate
owned or “REO” properties)
in White neighborhoods
consistently better than in
middle- and working-class
African-American and La
tino neighborhoods, a prac
tice that violates the federal
Fair Housing Act,” according
to a news release.
“Fannie Mae properties
in communities of color had
broken doors and windows,
unlocked doors and win
dows allowing access to the
home, excessive litter, dead
or overgrown lawns, dead
animals or live animals on
the property, and other ma
jor deficiencies. Conversely,
most Fannie Mae properties
in predominantly White
communities did not. These
problems are simple to fix
and are the responsibility of
Fannie Mae and its contrac
tors,” stated a news release.
The problem is “per
vasive,” Catrett said. “One,
our vacancy rates are still
high, lingering from the
housing bust. Secondly, it’s
pervasive because REOs
being received by banks in
their portfolios are being left
without appropriate market
ing.”
The complaint is the
result of a five-year investi
gation. In the metro Atlanta
area, a study by the National
Fair Housing Alliance shows
that in “communities of col
or,” 38 percent of the REO
properties had overgrown or
dead shrubbery, compared
to 12 percent in White com
munities. Approximately 30
percent of the REO prop
erties in communities of
color had broken or boarded
windows, versus 16 percent
in White communities.
Thirty-two percent of the
REO properties in minority
communities had a damaged
fence, compared to 4 percent
in White communities.
In minority communi
ties, 50.7 percent of the REO
properties in communi
ties of color had peeling or
chipped paint. The number
was 28 percent in White
communities. Twenty-three
percent of the REO proper
ties in minority communi
ties had no professional “for
sale” sign marketing the
home, compared to 4 per
cent in White communities.
Catrett said that “any
real estate related transac
tion that is administered or
delivered or serviced in a
discriminatory manner vio
lates the Fair Housing Act.”
The complaint against
Fannie Mae was made to
urge “HUD to bring Fannie
Mae to the table to answer
why [does] this discrimina
tory practice [exist] and to
seek a remedy,” Catrett said.
“With a previous bank
that did step up early we set
up a remedy that includes
some more emphasis on
homebuyer priority and also
monies that are funneled
back into these neighbor
hoods for rehabilitation of
this type of housing,” Catrett
said.
NOTICE OF PROPERTY TAX HEARING
The Mayor and the Atlanta City Council will adopt a millage rate which will require no
tax increase.
All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearing to be held at the Atlanta City
Hall Complex, 55 Trinity Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia in the City Council Chamber located
on the Second Floor on Thursday, May 28,2015 at 11:00 a.m.
CITY OF DORAVILLE
PUBLIC NOTICE
Fiscal Year 2016 Budget
Notice is hereby given that the proposed budget for the City of Doraville shall be available for
public inspection beginning May 22, 2015, in the City Clerk’s office from 8:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday at City Hall, 3725 Park Avenue, Doraville, GA.
A Public Hearing shall be held on the 1st day of June at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 3725 Park
Avenue, Doraville, GA before the Mayor and Council of the City of Doraville at which time public
comment pertaining to the Fiscal Year 2016 (July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016) budget shall be
sounded. All citizens of Doraville are invited to attend.
A Public Hearing shall be held on the 8th day of June at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 3725 Park
Avenue, Doraville, GA before the Mayor and Council of the City of Doraville at which time public
comment pertaining to the Fiscal Year 2016 (July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016) budget shall be
sounded. All citizens of Doraville are invited to attend.
A Regular Meeting shall be held on the 15th day of June at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 3725 Park
Avenue, Doraville, GA before the Mayor and Council of the City of Doraville at which time the
Fiscal Year 2016 (July 1,2015 through June 30, 2016) budget shall be approved and the budget
ordinance adopted in accordance with O.C.G.A. 36-81-5. All citizens of Doraville are invited to
attend.