What are they thinking in Smithtown? (New York, York: section 8, lawyers, voucher)

[Manigault]

SMITHTOWN, N.Y., Dec. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A class action on behalf of Black and Hispanic persons seeking federally assisted housing vouchers was filed against the Town Smithtown, New York in Suffolk County on December 13, 2007 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and individual attorneys who have committed to provide their services on this matter pro bono publico.

The lawsuit challenges the use of a residency preference for allocation of Section 8 vouchers by Smithtown, alleging that it has the intent and effect of discriminating against minorities in the allocation of Section 8 Housing Vouchers in violation of the Fair Housing Act and the equal protection clause of the United States Constitution. Smithtown maintains an absolute preference for Town residents, meaning that a person who does not live or work in Smithtown cannot receive a Section 8 housing voucher through Smithtown's Section 8 program until every person on the waitlist who lives or works in Smithtown has received a voucher. Because Smithtown is overwhelmingly white (over 93%), the result of Smithtown's residency preference is that Section 8 housing vouchers are effectively unavailable to minorities.

According to Barbara R. Arnwine, Executive Director of the Lawyers' Committee, "Smithtown's decision to exclude minorities from its Section 8 program results in government sponsored housing segregation." She further stated that "cases such as this one are critical to our mission of eradicating segregationist housing policies and fostering residential racial integration."
The complaint filed alleges that in implementing the discriminatory residency preference, Smithtown has improperly managed its Section 8 program to ensure that the waitlist always has a sufficient number of white residents to preclude Section 8 vouchers from being given to minority non-residents.

For example, according to the complaint, in 2006, after a steep decline in the number of whites on the Section 8 waitlist and a corresponding increase in the amount of minorities obtaining vouchers, Smithtown reopened its Section 8 waitlist and engaged in a targeted advertising campaign to recruit more white residents and to avoid serving the approximately 150 minorities on the waitlist patiently awaiting the chance to receive a Section 8 voucher.
http://www.courthousenews.com/2007/1...thtownSec8.pdf

[nbres]

I know of several Dominicans, Ecuadorians and Puerto Ricans who have moved from Brooklyn and Queens into Smithtown. They love it in Smithtown -

[AnthonyNYC]

Originally Posted by nbres

I know of several Dominicans, Ecuadorians and Puerto Ricans who have moved from Brooklyn and Queens into Smithtown. They love it in Smithtown -

For some reason I've noticed that certain minorities are more readily accepted than other groups. When you speak to them again, ask them if they found they were treated any differently.

Anthony

[nbres]

Originally Posted by AnthonyNYC

For some reason I've noticed that certain minorities are more readily accepted than other groups. When you speak to them again, ask them if they found they were treated any differently.

Anthony

Not at All. They really liked the area and are trying to get more of their family and friends to move out to Smithtown.

[Glad2BHere]

I don't think there is anything wrong with taking care of current young or elderly residents who have ties to the community but cannot afford to live there without this help. If they happen to be white, so be it.

Not only minorities need help with housing. Why is ANY town obligated to give affordable housing to anyone, especially those from other communities without any ties to that particular community?

[Jrprofess]

Originally Posted by nbres

I know of several Dominicans, Ecuadorians and Puerto Ricans who have moved from Brooklyn and Queens into Smithtown. They love it in Smithtown -

Ummm...by several do you mean...two??? Smithtown is ridiculously white. It would be naive to think that some of this waitlist management does not keep the Town very homogenous, and the politicians probably prefer that...but if it targets income levels and keeps some elderly already in the community within the township, it is hard to be bothered by that. Smithtown has gotten very expensive in the last 5-10 years. Keeping long-time elderly residents from being squeezed out is not a bad thing.

[Glad2BHere]

Originally Posted by Jrprofess

Ummm...by several do you mean...two??? Smithtown is ridiculously white.

I thought the same thing.

[Manigault]

I think that an effort to keep folks out of a town based on race is simply un-American. But it is also unethical and illegal, too.

[GCGuy]

I think it's great and I wish more of this was happening. Makes perfect sense and it keeps the area nice.

[Manigault]

Originally Posted by GCGuy

I think it's great and I wish more of this was happening. Makes perfect sense and it keeps the area nice.

Residents on Section 8 are better than outsiders on sec. 8? I guess we have to deal with how outsiders differ.