The County of Hidalgo strives to provide an environment that is free from discrimination based on selected characteristics, also called protected classes.  Fair housing and equal opportunity are fundamental principles to creating and sustaining communities in Hidalgo County. One way that the County demonstrates its commitment to these principles is by completing an Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI). The AI is a review of obstacles that could impede fair housing choice and creates actions to remove or overcome these barriers.

The County’s 2020 AI coincides with the Hidalgo County Urban County Program’s 2018-2022 Consolidated Plan and builds upon previous analyses that were completed in 2005, 2010, and 2013. Using current data, the AI is not a static document and may be updated periodically.

Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 recognized as the Federal Fair Housing Act and Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 are federal fair housing laws that prohibit discrimination in all aspects of housing, including the sale, rental, lease, or negotiation of real property. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on the following protected classes:

• Race
• Color
• National Origin
• Religion
• Sex
• Familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women, and people securing custody of children under 18)
• Disability

This AI was performed in order to satisfy the affirmatively furthering fair housing obligation defined by the requirements of 24 CFR 91.225(a)(1), titled “Certifications”, which states:

“Affirmatively further fair housing. Each jurisdiction is required to submit a certification that it will affirmatively further fair housing, which means that it will conduct an analysis to identify impediments to fair housing choice within the jurisdiction, take appropriate actions to overcome the effects of any impediments identified through that analysis, and maintain records reflecting the analysis of actions in this regard.”

According to the Fair Housing Planning Guide, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) interprets the broad objectives of affirmatively further fair housing to mean

• Analyze and eliminate housing discrimination in the jurisdiction
• Promote fair housing choice for all persons
• Provide opportunities for inclusive patterns of housing occupancy regardless of race, color religion, sex, familial status, disability, and national origin :
• Promote housing that is structurally accessible to, and usable by, all persons, particularly persons with disabilities
• Foster compliance with the nondiscrimination provisions of the Fair Housing Act.

The Hidalgo County AI:

• Presents a demographic profile of the County of Hidalgo and demographic information among specific protected classes;
• Evaluates the availability of a range of housing choices for all residents; and
• Analyzes the conditions in the private market and public sector that may influence the range of housing choices or access to housing.

Click here to view the Analysis of Impediments.