Birmingham City Council Highlights 4.11.23
Here are a few of the legislative highlights from Tuesday’s Birmingham City Council meeting, in case you missed it.
ITEM 16
The Council voted unanimously to remove the 2020 Census Redistricting Committee and replace that body with the Housing Policy Committee.
The Housing Policy Committee will be chaired by Councilor JT Moore, and he will be joined by Councilors Carol Clarke and Darrell O’Quinn.
The Committee will have the responsibility of overseeing local policy and programs that guide and sustain affordable housing opportunities for all citizens and to advocate for fair housing policies.
In the 1930s, the Federal Housing Administration created maps that ranked neighborhoods based on their perceived creditworthiness, a practice known as redlining. Birmingham is one of the most redlined cities in America.
This committee will provide an opportunity for the City Council to take an active role in remediating the effects of that practice.
The time and day of that meeting will be announced in the coming weeks.
BOARD APPOINTMENTS
There is an opening on the Birmingham Parking Authority, which regulates city's parking spaces, decks and lots.
Applicants must be a registered voter with an address in the city limits of Birmingham.
For anyone interested in serving, please forward a letter of interest and resume to Myeisha.Hutchinson@birminghamal.gov
FAIR HOUSING MONTH RESOLUTION
Today, the Birmingham City Council passed a resolution brought forward by Councilor Darrell O’Quinn recognizing April as Fair Housing Month. April 11, 2023, marks the 55th anniversary of the passage of the Fair Housing Act, which clarifies a national policy of fair housing for all who live in the United States.
“Today we’re celebrating that achievement with this resolution. Over the past several years, the Council and this administration have made an effort to address affordable housing and blighted properties in the city,” Councilor Darrell O’Quinn said. “One of the issues that we of course recognize is everyone needs to have equal opportunity to access affordable housing.”
According to the resolution, “The Council of the City of Birmingham with Mayor Randall L. Woodfin concurring, supports the goals and ideals of the Fair Housing Act and recognizes the month of April as Fair Housing Month in the City of Birmingham, Alabama, which includes bringing attention to the discrimination faced by everyday citizens in housing and housing-related transactions based on race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, and religion. We commend the Birmingham Association of Realtors whose involvement is, and always has been, characterized by an impressive commitment and an uncompromising standard of excellence in its endeavors on behalf of all citizens in this great city.”
Councilor O’Quinn also stated that he is working on an amendment to update the City’s current Fair Housing Ordinance to include source of income discrimination. This would not just be for housing choice voucher recipients, but also those receiving alimony, veteran’s assistance, disability checks and so forth. Cities across the country have passed similar legislation for decades.