USDA JOINS FORCES WITH HUD TO FIGHT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION 

                                              Release No. 0225.97

                        USDA contact: Tom Amontree (202) 720-4623
                                            tom.amontree@usda.gov
                       HUD contact: Victor Lambert (202) 708-0685

USDA JOINS FORCES WITH HUD TO FIGHT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION 

     WASHINGTON, July 11, 1997--The U.S. Department of Agriculture can now
assist rural Americans with housing discrimination complaints more quickly,
efficiently, and with more remedies thanks to a new working arrangement with
the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  

     Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman and Housing Secretary Andrew Cuomo
today announced that under a new agreement, USDA will refer all fair housing
discrimination claims to HUD. Under this system, HUD attorneys will present
complaints and HUD administrative law judges will hear the cases.

     "The American dream of homeownership must not succumb to the nightmare
of discrimination," Glickman said. "Equal access to own or rent rural
housing is necessary if we are to complete our mission to help build a
better rural America," he said, adding that USDA has "zero-tolerance for
discriminatory practices" in any of its programs. "This agreement with HUD
is part of USDA's commitment to ensure the civil rights of all customers and
employees of USDA, and it's also an important part of the President's race
initiative."

     "Housing discrimination is illegal and intolerable everywhere in
America -- whether in our biggest cities or in our smallest rural
crossroads," Cuomo said.  "Beginning today, we will bring the full force of
the Fair Housing Act to bear to stamp out housing discrimination everywhere
in our country."

     The Fair Housing Act provides several rights and remedies that USDA,
before this agreement, did not have at its disposal, including the power to
impose temporary restraining orders, use subpoenas during investigations,
employ testers where appropriate, and impose civil penalties, punitive
damages, and damages for pain and suffering. 

     Through its various rental and homeownership loan programs, USDA is
the nation's largest provider of rural housing.  As part of the agreement,
USDA and HUD will share information and documents about civil rights claims
which allege a violation of the Fair Housing Act. They will also  jointly
investigate these claims, maintain and share a cumulative list of claims,
and participate in joint training on fair housing. 

     In addition, USDA is reviewing all programs and activities to
investigate any past discrimination in the sale or rental of rural housing
it finances.  Any discrimination uncovered by the investigation will be
aggressively prosecuted, Glickman said.
   
     In 1996, USDA financed new or improved home ownership opportunities
for over 61,000 low- to moderate-income families in rural America. Since
1949 USDA has helped over 2 million rural families purchase their own home
and has financed construction of 458,000 units of affordable rental housing
in rural areas.

     Under the Fair Housing Act, HUD receives 10,000 claims of housing
discrimination annually.  Approximately 11 percent of those come from non-metropolitan areas.

     While the agreement provides that HUD will investigate and decide fair
housing claims, USDA will continue to process complaints under Title VI of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,
and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975. 

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