Winter Storm 2023

During the February 2023 winter storm, Austin Code had a team of emergency field operations responding only to emergency and imminent conditions. The inspectors’ role after a winter storm is to respond to complaint service requests made to Austin 3-1-1 to verify if there are code violations. If violations are confirmed, the department works with the property owner and representatives to facilitate repairs needed to get the property back up to code. Common violations after a winter storm may include no hot water, burst pipes, and damages in the ceiling or walls due to fallen or broken tree limbs. To provide community members with time to begin filing insurance claims and making repairs, ACD will refrain from issuing notices of violations until Friday, February 10. The department strongly encourages property owners with documented violations to use assigned inspectors as a resource in resolving their case. This includes making requests for timeline extensions.  

Resources:

English: Austin-Travis County Post-Storm Resources

Spanish: Austin-Travis County Post-Storm Resources

Updates on emergency information and City operations: austintexas.gov/alerts

Emergency repair permitting: austintexas.gov/page/emergency-repairs

Power outage safety: austinenergy.com/outages/during-an-outage

Thawing pipes after a freeze: austintexas.gov/department/cold-weather-tips-potential-freezing-weather

Storm debris removal: https://www.austintexas.gov/stormdebris

Tree care: austintexas.gov/department/tree-information-center

Discrimination Based on Race in Housing

Each year the Fair Housing Program (FHP) assists over 400 clients who believe that they have been the victims of illegal housing discrimination. The Fair Housing Act protects people from discrimination when they are renting or buying a home, getting a mortgage, seeking housing assistance, or engaging in other housing-related activities. During our last contract year, 10% of those cases alleged discrimination based on race. Early into the new contract year, the FHP has seen a 3% increase in the number of cases that allege discrimination based on race.

Example 1:  Jane, a Black female, found a duplex that she wanted to rent through an online housing post. She communicated with the landlord through e-mail and over the telephone. Everything was going great and the landlord seemed eager to rent to her until she met him in person. After the landlord discovered that she was Black, he told her that he was going out of town for a while and that she would probably find somewhere else to live while he was gone.

Example 2:  Ryan, a White male, had lived at XYZ apartments for 3 years with no problems. Suddenly, the property is sold and management changes. Ryan starts noticing a difference in how the new manager deals with the residents. The manager is Hispanic and Ryan notices that all of the new residents moving in are Hispanic and that the White residents are being targeted with non-renewal notices, unwarranted lease violations, and their repair requests are going unanswered. Ryan believes that the new manager is providing preferential treatment to prospective and current Hispanic tenants.

Example 3:  Michael, a Black male, is looking for housing and walks into the office of an apartment complex. Leasing agents see him come in but do not greet him or offer him assistance. Michael takes a seat and, while waiting patiently to be assisted, notices that a White male that walks in after him is greeted immediately and is told that he will be assisted shortly.

Race discrimination in housing is very seldomly overt and often may try to be disguised as something else. If you feel that something just isn’t right, then there is a good chance that it is not.

If you believe that you have been the victim of illegal housing discrimination, please call the Fair Housing Program at 512-474-1961. We are ready to help you exercise your right to have safe, decent, and fair housing.