The staff of the Fair Housing Council of South Texas conducts housing counseling services for consumers who want to know about their rights under the Texas Property Code and Fair Housing Act. Staff provide consumers with information about their rights, make suggestions about how to resolve their housing issue, and, as appropriate, make referrals to other organizations that may be able to assist the consumer with a non-fair housing related problem.
In addition, staff will try to brainstorm possible ways to utilize the Fair Housing Act to resolve a consumer’s problem involving their housing provider [i.e., landlord, apartment management, Public Housing Authority, Homeowners Association (HOA), homebuilder, etc.].
Furthermore, staff will explain to consumers what constitutes a fair housing complaint, provide consumers with guidance on how to submit reasonable accommodation or modification requests, provide clarification on HUD guidance regarding specific fair housing issues, explain the HUD administrative complaint process, etc.
Moreover, staff will counsel renters and homebuyers about accessibility/design and construction requirements for different types of housing and provide appropriate referrals and suggestions for locating low-income housing, affordable housing, and accessible housing that meets their needs.
Lastly, staff will provide appropriate referrals to consumers regarding various other issues including rental/utility assistance, housing assistance programs (such as, public housing, Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, etc.), homeless resources, homeownership/homebuyer information, foreclosure prevention, etc.
