Orange County NC Website
Oran a Coun North Carolina - AIFCH - 2007 <br />9 ty~ <br />E. Failure to use Equal Housing Opportunity Logo <br />In the display advertising published on the web-based ads, the Consultants specifically <br />examined the publication for evidence of the Equal Housing Opportunity symbol or the phrase <br />"Equal Housing Opportunity." Results were varied. One of the providers did not publish the <br />"Equal Housing Opportunity," but included a link labeled "Fair Housing" which provided <br />extensive information from the perspective of the home-seeker and provider. Regrettably, few of <br />the providers conspicuously displayed the Equal Opportunity logo on their main (i.e., home) <br />page. The third provider displayed anon-discriminatory statement without the indicated logo. <br />9.0 ZONING <br />Barriers to fair housing also result from zoning and subdivision regulations. Whether certain <br />zoning and subdivision controls are, in fact, discriminatory is controversial. However, the federal <br />government has successfully sued several cities over the manner in which they were zoned. As <br />Professor Richard T. Lai of Arizona State University noted in his paper The Effect of , <br />Exclusionary Zoning on Affordable Housing: <br />"If land-use zoning for the purpose of promoting reason, order and beauty in urban growth <br />management is one side of the coin, so can it be said that exclusion of housing affordable to low <br />and moderate income groups is the other ... as practiced, zoning and other land-use regulations <br />can diminish the general availability of good quality, low-cost dwellings..." 2' Concerning the <br />adoption and administration of building codes, Dr. Lai states "...local building codes also often <br />serve an Exclusionary function...(they) have become a considerable barrier to the potential <br />.economics that could be realized through manufactured housing techniques..."22 <br />9.1 Introduction <br />Four key areas were reviewed as part of the analysis because of the possible adverse effects <br />they could have on families and persons with disabilities. <br />1. Definitions used for "families," "group homes," "dwelling unit." <br />2. Regulations (if any) regarding "group homes." <br />3. Ability for "group homes" or other similar type housing to be developed. <br />4. Unreasonable restrictions, costs on developing multi-family housing <br />units, such as lot size requirements, impact fees, and setbacks. <br />As far as can be determined, Orange County conducts its housing programs in an affirmative <br />manner and without restrictive policies that would adversely affect members of the protected <br />classes. <br />In addition to interdicting private acts of discrimination, entitlement grantees should be <br />especially vigilant regarding the impact of zoning regulations and building codes upon group <br />homes, parents with children and the disabled. For instance, provisions in zoning regulations <br />that define which living arrangements constitute a "family" can unduly restrict where group <br />homes for the disabled can be placed. Similarly, restrictions governing the placement of <br />32 <br />