Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
10 <br /> Suggestion #2: Ensure that undocumented immigrants, especially those who <br /> have Limited English Proficiency (LEP), are aware of their rights and <br /> responsibilities as renters. <br /> Comment:Support for Limited English Proficiency residents is mentioned in the Fact Sheet on the LEP <br /> Program, but the text of the AHSP does not identify the barriers they may face in securing and <br /> maintaining safe, decent and affordable housing. There is also no mention of immigration <br /> documentation status as a barrier to safe, decent, and affordable housing, although fears related to <br /> retaliation likely drive the housing standards and affordability down for this population. <br /> Include Background Info on Undocumented Immigrants &Housing: For some undocumented <br /> immigrants, lack of credit or rental history in the U.S. and not having a Social Security number or U.S.- <br /> issued identification may prevent them from finding affordable housing, even if the law does not require <br /> renters to have that documentation. Once they secure housing, the housing may not be maintained to <br /> the minimum standards,with landlords not doing necessary repairs, reporting immigrants to law <br /> enforcement for minor problems, or unfairly withholding deposits or charging additional fees. In <br /> addition, language barriers and sometimes low literacy levels can be causes of discrimination and can <br /> introduce challenges in securing safe, decent and affordable housing. <br /> Tenants, especially those with limited English Proficiency, may be unaware of their rights and <br /> responsibilities, fearing retaliation or other negative consequences if they complain to the landlord or to <br /> local code enforcement. <br /> (See Advocates for Human Rights, Moving from Exclusion to Belonging, Chapter 5 Housing—available <br /> at: http://www.theadvocatesforhumanrights.org/uploads/chapter 5 housing.pdf) <br /> Suggested Strategy Edit: Goal 3. 3.5: Ensure low literacy resources on tenant rights and responsibilities <br /> are available in appropriate languages, such as Spanish, Karen, and Burmese, and are proactively <br /> distributed through community partners. <br /> Suggested Action: Review current data on LEP population's housing challenges, conduct needs <br /> assessment, and provide linguistically-accessible community-based classes to immigrant and refugee <br /> groups to inform of rights and responsibilities. <br /> Questions re LEP Program: Page 157 in the AHSP- What is the LEP program? Have they had any <br /> housing-specific accomplishments? <br /> Minor edits <br /> • Page 157 should say"residents" not"citizens" since many of our LEP and immigrant OC <br /> residents are not technically citizens <br /> • Table of Contents—Typo in "Executive" Summary <br /> Suggestion #3: Goal 2. AR12: Include the Board of Health and Family Success <br /> Alliance Advisory Council among those groups who will be engaged in <br /> developing the guiding principles, general guidelines, and/or design <br /> criteria/considerations. <br />