On behalf of the Community for Permanent Supported Housing (CPSH) and five parents of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Relman Colfax reached a settlement with the Dallas Housing Authority (DHA) on January 22, 2020. The settlement resolves a federal lawsuit, filed in August 2018, which alleged that DHA violated the Fair Housing Act and other disability rights laws when it cancelled a voucher program that would have allowed Section 8 Project-Based Vouchers to house individuals with disabilities in single-family homes in the community.
This settlement will benefit people with disabilities in seven counties in North Texas: Collin, Denton, Dallas, Ellis, Kaufman, Rockwall, and Tarrant. During the three-year settlement period, DHA will provide Project-Based Vouchers for neighborhood-based, single-family houses that will allow more safe, affordable housing options for adults with disabilities. CPSH and DHA will work together to share information and key dates about voucher availability to people with disabilities, their families, service agencies, and property owners in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. CPSH will be among the organizations that will refer potential voucher holders to DHA.
CPSH is a volunteer-led nonprofit that creates housing options in the North Texas community for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and those experiencing social challenges, as well as educational services for these adults and their families to encourage independent living.
The Relman Colfax litigation team was led by Glenn Schlactus, Sara Pratt, and Sasha Samberg-Champion. The firm co-counseled with Disability Rights Texas.