A survey made by the Northern Marianas Housing Corp. and Western Economic Services showed a substantial lack of knowledge in the CNMI of the fair housing law.<\/p>\n
In a presentation, WES director of research and planning Robert Gaudin said the Analysis of Impediments survey highlighted that lack.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fundamental issue we discovered with the survey is the lack of understanding of fair housing, its purpose, its role, and whether they\u2019ve been discriminated,\u201d Gaudin said.<\/p>\n
He said the finding highlights the need to reach out and educate both providers and consumers of housing.<\/p>\n
Gaudin also pointed out the lack of fair housing complaint data in the CNMI as received by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as well as by NMHC.<\/p>\n
He noted that many of the 209 respondents answered \u201cI don\u2019t know\u201d to the questions in the survey.<\/p>\n
There were also those that incorrectly identified the protected classes under the law.<\/p>\n
\u201cRespondents were also asked to identify as many groups as they could that were protected under Commonwealth or federal laws, with race and disability given as examples of protected classes. Sixty-eight respondents answered this question\u2026no more than 12 respondents were able to correctly identify any protected group in addition to race and disability, or around 17.6 percent. Sixteen respondents incorrectly identified age as a protected class, and 11 mistakenly included income. Ten respondents correctly identified national origin as a protected class, eight respondents correctly identified gender, and five correctly identified color,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n
Some of the comments shared by respondents referred to the quality and safety of housing units in general. Some underscored an issue describing a practice of \u201cmonopoly owners\u201d buying properties and evicting current residents, and issues relating to housing costs.<\/p>\n
According to Gaudin, fair housing takes all the protected classes and considers those actions that people feel they\u2019ve been discriminated against.<\/p>\n
\u201cFair housing choice, that represents something about the way you\u2019re treated in the market place\u2014maybe it\u2019s because of your familial status, if you have children, if you\u2019re treated differently from everyone else\u2014then that\u2019s discriminatory action,\u201d Gaudin said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the housing transaction, how are you as an individual treated? If you are treated differently than everyone else because of some protected clause you belong to, then that is not fair,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Asked about the situation of some tenants on island that are being evicted, Gaudin said it might fall under the landlord-tenant law and not under fair housing.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they evicted everyone, then you\u2019re treated the same as everyone else. But it\u2019s really the question if it\u2019s just or unjust. Then that would fall under landlord-tenant law,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In conclusion, education of the public is needed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn general, the idea is to initially enhance outreach and education. Provide opportunities for people to better understand what fair housing is, who\u2019s protected, and what actions are also protected or ruled illegal under fair housing law under federal and the Commonwealth,\u201d Gaudin said. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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