(The Center Square) - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development launched a fair-housing investigation into the Washington State Housing Finance Commission Tuesday over its race-based Covenant Homeownership Program, a letter first obtained by The Center Square shows.
Craig Trainor, assistant secretary of HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, notified Steve Walker, executive director of the state Housing Finance Commission, on Tuesday, “pursuant to the Fair Housing Act.” Congress passed the law in 1968 following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmxE AC@9:3:ED 5:D4C:>:?2E:@? :? C62= 6DE2E6 32D65 @? AC@E64E65 4=2DD6D[ :?4=F5:?8 C246 2?5 ?2E:@?2= @C:8:?]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“x? E96 4@>>:DD:@?’D G:6H[ :E 2AA62CD E92E D@>6 (2D9:?8E@?:2?D ‘2C6 >@C6 6BF2= E92? @E96CD[’” %C2:?@C HC@E6 :? 2 =6EE6C E@ (2=<6C[ BF@E:?8 2 72>@FD =:?6 7C@> v6@C86 ~CH6==’D `hcd ?@G6= p?:>2= u2C>] “%9:D 8@G6C?>6?E\DA@?D@C65 9@FD:?8 6IA6C:>6?E 2AA62CD E@ 5@=6 @FE DA@:=D 32D65 @? C246 2?5 2?46DECJ]”k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%96 DE2E6 {68:D=2EFC6 A2DD65 2 3:== :? a_ab E92E 4C62E65 E96 r@G6?2?E w@>6@H?6CD9:A !C@8C2> E@ AC@G:56 9@>6 =@2?D =:>:E65 E@ C24:2= >:?@C:E:6D] xE H2D kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^=2H7:=6D6IE]=68]H2]8@G^3:6??:F>^a_ab\ac^!57^q:==Ta_#6A@CED^w@FD6^`cfc\$aTa_wq#Ta_uq#Ta_ab]A57nBla_ae_bab`hcdd`Qm7C2>65k^2mk^DEC@?8m 2D 2 H2J E@ 255C6DD E96 DE2E6’D “9:DE@CJ @7 9@FD:?8 5:D4C:>:?2E:@? 5F6 E@ C24:2==J C6DEC:4E:G6 C62= 6DE2E6 4@G6?2?ED[” 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 DE2E6VD 7:?2= 3:== C6A@CE]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm#62= 6DE2E6 4@G6?2?ED 2C6 =682==J 3:?5:?8 CF=6D :? 2 AC@A6CEJ 5665 E92E 4@?EC@= 9@H E96 AC@A6CEJ 42? 36 FD65 2?5 >2:?E2:?65] %96 u2:C w@FD:?8 p4E AC@9:3:ED C6DEC:4E:G6 4@G6?2?ED 32D65 @? C246[ 4@=@C[ C6=:8:@? @C ?2E:@?2= @C:8:?[ 2?5 E96 DE2E6’D `heh (2D9:?8E@? {2H p82:?DE s:D4C:>:?2E:@? >256 E96> =682==J ?F==]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“%9:D 25>:EE65=J ‘8C@F?53C62<:?8’ AC@8C2> :D C6>2C<23=J 86?6C@FD[” %C2:?@C HC@E6 %F6D52J E@ (2=<6C]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%96 r@G6?2?E w@>6@H?6CD9:A !C@8C2> @776CD _T :?E6C6DE =@2?D 7@C 5@H? A2J>6?ED 2?5 4=@D:?8 4@DED]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%96 4@>>:DD:@? 92?565 @FE kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HD974]@C8^25>:?^($wurp#a_ad&A52E6C`a]A57QmSe_]a >:==:@?k^2mk^DEC@?8m :? =@2?D[ 7F?565 3J 2 S`__ 5@4F>6?E C64@C5:?8 2DD6DD>6?E @? C62= 6DE2E6 EC2?D24E:@?D[ E@ dcf 9@>63FJ6CD :? E96 7:CDE J62C] p44@C5:?8 E@ E96 AC@8C2>’D 7C6BF6?E=J 2D<65 BF6DE:@?D H63D:E6[ E96 S`__ 766 86?6C2E6D Sfd >:==:@? E@ S`__ >:==:@? 2??F2==J 7@C E96D6 =@2?D]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQms6>@4C2ED 6IA2?565 kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^96C6E@9@>6]@C8^4@G6?2?E^R4@G6?2?E072BD06=:8:3:=:EJQm6=:8:3:=:EJk^2mk^DEC@?8m :? a_ad 7@C 7:CDE\E:>6 9@>63FJ6CD H:E9 9@FD69@=5 :?4@>6D 2E @C 36=@H kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^96C6E@9@>6]@C8^4@G6?2?E^R4@G6?2?E0:?4@>60=:>:EDQm`a_Tk^2mk^DEC@?8m @7 E96 pC62 |65:2? x?4@>6j 9@H6G6C[ E92E 3FJ6C >FDE 92G6 2 =:G:?8 @C 56462D65 A2C6?E[ 8C2?5A2C6?E @C 8C62E\8C2?5A2C6?E E92E =:G65 :? (29D:?8E@? DE2E6 367@C6 `heg H9@VD “q=24<[ w:DA2?:4[ }2E:G6 p>6C:42?^p=2D<2 }2E:G6[ }2E:G6 w2H2::2? @C @E96C !24:7:4 xD=2?56C[ z@C62? @C pD:2? x?5:2?]”k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%96 AC@8C2>’D :?4@>6 =:>:E :? z:?8 r@F?EJ[ :?4=F5:?8 u656C2= (2J[ $62EE=6 2?5 q6==6GF6[ :D S`gg[d__]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%96 a_ad 6IA2?D:@? 2=D@ AC@G:56D =@2? 7@C8:G6?6DD E@ 9@>63FJ6CD H:E9 :?4@>6D 36=@H g_T @7 p|x 27E6C 7:G6 J62CD @7 =:G:?8 :? E96 9@>6] %@ C646:G6 2DD:DE2?46 F?56C E96 AC@8C2>[ E96 3FJ6C >FDE H@C< H:E9 2 “r@>>:DD:@?\EC2:?65 =6?56C E@ AC6BF2=:7J 7@C 2 >@CE8286 =@2? 2?5 6DE23=:D9 ,E96:C. 6=:8:3:=:EJ]”k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“tIA2?5:?8 E9:D AC@8C2> :D 2 DE6A E@H2C5 4=@D:?8 E96 9@>6@H?6CD9:A 82A 36EH66? q=24< 2?5 H9:E6 9@FD69@=5D :? @FC DE2E6[” #6A] y2>:=2 %2J=@C[ s\u656C2= (2J[ HC@E6 :? 2 ?6HD C6=62D6 27E6C v@G] q@3 u6C8FD@? kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^9@FD656>@4C2ED]H2]8@G^E2J=@C^a_ad^_c^aa^8@G6C?@C\D:8?D\E2J=@C\3:==\E@\6IA2?5\9:DE@C:4\4@G6?2?E\9@>6@H?6CD9:A\AC@8C2>^QmD:8?65k^2mk^DEC@?8m 96C 6IA2?D:@? :?E@ =2H] “xE’D ?@E E96 @?=J D@=FE:@? … 3FE :E :D >62?:?87F= AC@8C6DD]”k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%C2:?@C 2C8F65 :? 9:D =6EE6C E92E E96 4@>>:DD:@? 5@6D?’E EC62E “tFC@A62?[ y2A2?6D6[ pC23[ 2?5 y6H:D9 2?46DECJ” 2D 6BF2= E@ E96 C246D 6=:8:3=6 7@C E96 AC@8C2>[ H9:49 E96 4@>>:DD:@? E@F496D @? :? :ED kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^96C6E@9@>6]@C8^72BD\4@G6?2?E^RiOiE6IEl(9JTa_2C6Ta_D@>6Ta_C24:2=Ta_8C@FADTa_6=:8:3=6Ta_2?5Ta_?@ETa_@E96CDTbuQmup"k^2mk^DEC@?8m]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“$@>6 @7 E96 8C@FAD 5:D4C:>:?2E65 282:?DE 4@?E:?F6 E@ D9@H >F49 =@H6C 9@>6@H?6CD9:A C2E6D 4@>A2C65 H:E9 E96 86?6C2= H9:E6 A@AF=2E:@?[” 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 up"[ H9:49 4:E6D 2 DE2E6\7F?565 kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HD974]@C8^4@G6?2?E^($wur(prw!u&{{$%&s*ba_ac]A57RA286lhcQmDEF5Jk^2mk^DEC@?8m :?E@ E96 :>A24ED @7 5:D4C:>:?2E:@? @? 9@>6@H?6CD9:A] “u@C @E96C 8C@FAD WDF49 2D y6H:D9 C6D:56?EDX[ E96 52E2 :D =:>:E65 H96? :E 4@>6D E@ 5@4F>6?E:?8 E96 =2DE:?8 :>A24ED @7 9:DE@C:42= 5:D4C:>:?2E:@?]”k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm(2=<6C :D 2=C625J 724:?8 2 7656C2= kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HD974]@C8^D7^!C@8C2>p??@F?46>6?Ea_ac]`_]b_]9E>Qm=2HDF:Ek^2mk^DEC@?8m @G6C E96 AC@8C2>[ 3FE 92D E@=5 =6?56CD E@ 4@?E:?F6 2D ?@C>2= F?E:= 2 7:?2= CF=:?8] p 7656C2= ;F586 56?:65 E96 A=2:?E:77’D kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^=2H];FDE:2]4@>^42D6D^7656C2=^5:DEC:4E\4@FCED^H2D9:?8E@?^H2H546^aia_ac4G_`ff_^bc_hgb^cd^Qm>@E:@?k^2mk^DEC@?8m 7@C 2 AC6=:>:?2CJ :?;F?4E:@? =2DE >@?E9]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%C2:?@C E@=5 (2=<6C E92E AF3=:4=J 2G2:=23=6 :?7@C>2E:@? 23@FE E96 AC@8C2> DF886DED E92E :E’D F?=2H7F=]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmw6 2C8F65 E92E E96 AC@9:3:E:@? @7 C24:2= 9@FD:?8 4@G6?2?ED :? `heg AC652E6D E96 4@>>:DD:@?VD 4C62E:@?[ 2?5 E92E “:E 5@6D ?@E 2AA62C” E92E (2D9:?8E@? DE2E6 :DDF65 @C 56?:65 =@2?D 32D65 @? C246 367@C6 a_ac]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“{6E >6 36 4=62Ci x==682= 5:D4C:>:?2E:@? @? E96 32D:D @7 C246 :D >@C2==J C6AC696?D:3=6[ D@4:2==J A6CG6CD6[ 2?5 56DECF4E:G6 @7 p>6C:42’D A=FC2=:DE:4 A@=:EJ[” 96 HC@E6] “%96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@? H:== ?@E E@=6C2E6 :E]”k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%C2:?@C BF@E65 r9:67 yFDE:46 y@9? #@36CED :? E96 kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^DFAC6>6];FDE:2]4@>^42D6D^7656C2=^FD^dd`^f_`^Qma__fk^2mk^DEC@?8m &]$] $FAC6>6 r@FCE CF=:?8 @? !2C6?ED x?G@=G65 :? r@>>F?:EJ $49@@=D G] $62EE=6 $49@@= s:DEC:4E }@] `[ H96C6 #@36CED 2C8F65 E92E[ “%96 H2J E@ DE@A 5:D4C:>:?2E:@? @? E96 32D:D @7 C246 :D E@ DE@A 5:D4C:>:?2E:?8 @? E96 32D:D @7 C246[” 2?5 282:? :? kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]DFAC6>64@FCE]8@G^@A:?:@?D^aaA57^a_\``hh0985;]A57Qma_aak^2mk^DEC@?8m H96? #@36CED CF=65 :? 2?@E96C 42D6 E92E[ “t=:>:?2E:?8 C24:2= 5:D4C:>:?2E:@? >62?D 6=:>:?2E:?8 2== @7 :E]”k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%96 w&s @77:4:2= D2JD 96 92D 5:C64E65 E96 ~77:46 @7 $A64:2= x?G6DE:82E:@?D E@ =@@< :?E@ (2D9:?8E@? DE2E6 7@C 72:C 9@FD:?8 G:@=2E:@?D[ 2?5 E92E[ D9@F=5 E96 :?G6DE:82E:@? 7:?5 E92E E96 4@>>:DD:@? G:@=2E65 E96 =2H[ E96 ~77:46 @7 u2:C w@FD:?8 2?5 tBF2= ~AA@CEF?:EJ >2J 7:=6 2 4@>A=2:?E 2?5 492C86D @7 5:D4C:>:?2E:@?] k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%C2:?@C 2D<65 E92E E96 (2D9:?8E@? $E2E6 w@FD:?8 u:?2?46 r@>>:DD:@? AC6D6CG6 2?J C6=6G2?E C64@C5D]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmp?@E96C (2D9:?8E@? DE2E6 DF3D:5J AC@8C2> 42==65 E96 r@>>F?:EJ #6:?G6DE>6?E !C@8C2> @776CD D:>:=2C kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]4@>>6C46]H2]8@G^4CA^Qm=@2?Dk^2mk^DEC@?8m “E@ 255C6DD C24:2=[ 64@?@>:4[ 2?5 D@4:2= 5:DA2C:E:6D 4C62E65 3J E96 … H2C @? 5CF8D]” xE’D 4FCC6?E=J 724:?8 kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E9646?E6CDBF2C6]4@>^H2D9:?8E@?^2CE:4=602edf5b4f\a25`\cbaa\3f23\dhe`a_6h2755]9E>=Qm2==682E:@?Dk^2mk^DEC@?8m E92E E96 ?@?AC@7:ED 4@?EC@==:?8 E96 E2IA2J6C\7F?565 =@2?D 2H2C565 E96> E@ >6>36CD @7 E96:C @H? 72>:=:6D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ C6A@CE:?8 3J :?56A6?56?E ;@FC?2=:DE qC2?5: zCFD6 2?5 %96 r6?E6C $BF2C6]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“stx :D 5625 2E w&s] %9@D6 H9@ :8?@C6 E96 =2H 2?5 G:@=2E6 E96 C:89ED @7 p>6C:42?D 7@C A@=:E:42= AFCA@D6D H:== ?@E 4@?E:?F6[” w&s $64C6E2CJ $4@EE %FC?6C HC@E6 :? 2 DE2E6>6?E] “x H:== ?@E DE2?5 7@C :==682= C24:2= 2?5 6E9?:4 AC676C6?46D E92E 56?J p>6C:42?D E96:C C:89E E@ 6BF2= AC@E64E:@? F?56C E96 =2H]”k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“w&s H:== H@C< E@ 6?DFC6 (2D9:?8E@? DE2E6 7@==@HD E96 =2H 2?5 AC@G:56D 6BF2= @AA@CEF?:EJ 7@C 2== 4:E:K6?D D66<:?8 2DD:DE2?46 F?56C E96 r@>>:DD:@?’D AC@8C2>D] &?56C !C6D:56?E %CF>A’D =6256CD9:A[ w&s H:== G:8@C@FD=J 6?7@C46 E96 u2:C w@FD:?8 p4E 2?5 6?DFC6 2== p>6C:42?D 92G6 2? 6BF2= D9@E 2E E96 p>6C:42? 5C62>[” %FC?6C 4@?4=F565]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm(2=<6C 5:5 ?@E :>>65:2E6=J C6DA@?5 E@ %96 r6?E6C $BF2C6VD C6BF6DE 7@C 4@>>6?E 367@C6 AF3=:D9:?8] k^Am
