Attorney to review resolution of housing discrimination case

SIKESTON, Mo. -- An agreement that "resolved" a housing discrimination complaint against the city will be reviewed by the city's attorney.

City council members looked over documents from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development during their regular meeting Monday.

The complaint was filed with HUD by Agnes and Steve P. Mason of Sikeston against the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority and its chairman, David Ziegenhorn, on Feb. 5.

In the complaint, the Masons alleged the LCRA violated the Fair Housing Act "on the basis of race (African American) by failing to use CDBG funds to address blight and poverty in the predominantly African American communities of Sikeston," according to the documents.

The complainants also alleged the LCRA attempted to take two rental properties they owned "through eminent domain, without proper notice, hearing, or compensation, for the purpose of demolition, as part of a broader effort of housing removal targeting the African American community called 'The Sunset Neighborhood.'"

The documents, which were received from HUD on May 8, indicate the complaint was resolved by the execution of a HUD Conciliation Agreement and that HUD has terminated its investigation and administratively closed the complaint.

The general provisions in the agreement documents state, among other things, that the LCRA "denies any wrongdoing or any violation as alleged" but "acknowledges that it has an affirmative duty not to discriminate."

Councilman Mike Bohannon said the agreement document needs a legal review for several reasons, however.

One reason is that the document header names the city of Sikeston instead of the LCRA when it was an LCRA official who signed the agreement.

Another issue is that under Section G, "Relief in the Public Interest," the agreement states that LCRA board members shall attend six hours of "Fair Housing Training."

Bohannon said the city needs to be careful not to let any agreement be finalized in the city's name that indicates the city acted improperly. "We have done nothing to discriminate," he said.

"I don't endorse this either," Mayor Mike Marshall said. Marshall said it is not reasonable to require the LCRA's volunteer board members to attend six hours of "schooling" when they were not found to have done anything wrong. "I think that's unacceptable," he said.

Also, Bohannon said anything having to do with Community Development Block Grant applications "is a city council function and should not be subject to any agreement between the LCRA and HUD."