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Potential for Liability <br />Cities must understand their legal obligations in order to protect themselves from potential <br />liability. A city's responsibility to protect residents' civil rights extend to all corners of city <br />government, and accordingly create all sorts of potential issues. Examples include: <br />• What happens if a constituent calls the city and is given incorrect advice as to how <br />to file a fair housing complaint? <br />• What happens if the city passes an ordinance that has a disparate impact on people <br />of color? <br />Additional examples of issues that may arise, warranting knowledge and experience with <br />fair housing and civil rights laws: <br />• Local parents claim city's housing decisions are perpetuating segregation in the <br />schools. <br />• The city is asked to assist a new development that will displace persons protected <br />by the FHA. <br />• A nonprofit wants to build a group home for persons with chemical dependency, but <br />the city is getting pushback from neighborhood groups claiming the neighborhood <br />has too many such facilities. <br />• An affordable housing provider requests a change in zoning in order to make units <br />available to very low-income residents which some community members opposed. <br />• The city's Crime Free Ordinance curriculum for landlords recommends barring <br />applicants with any criminal history, counter to HUD fair housing guidance. <br />This policy guide provides resources to cities to better be able to handle these - and similar <br />- issues, in thoughtful, equitable ways. The best practices and example policies provided <br />here are by no means the only steps that cities should take, nor are they the only acceptable <br />10 <br />