Wait Until You Hear This One
Apache ASL Trails in Tempe, Ariz., is a special housing complex designed specifically for deaf, deaf-blind, and hearing-impaired seniors — ASL stands for American Sign Language. It opened two years ago, thanks in part to a $2.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as federal stimulus funding. But the 75-unit complex is in jeopardy, since the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is charging the complex illegally discriminates against (wait for it!) non-deaf seniors. The complex and the state’s Housing Department, which also helped create the complex, has so far spent $450,000 on legal fees fighting back. Area congressmen are outraged over HUD’s about-face, and say the agency is setting a bad precedent that could endanger special housing for, say, veterans or the mentally ill. HUD attorneys are trying to come to a “win-win conclusion” to the agency’s dilemma, replies agency spokesman Jerry Brown. “What is the best route, the fastest route, to go get this done? That’s what we’re exploring now.” (RC/Arizona Republic) ...Maybe start with, “Right hand, I’d like you to meet left hand.”Story Update: In January 2014, HUD reversed itself, admitting “While HUD approved funding for the project in 2008, HUD headquarters decided two years ago that the practice of giving admission preference to deaf applicants for all apartments failed to attract many non-hearing-impaired residents in violation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Yet, HUD reversed its decision last week by concluding Section 504 does permit Apache ASL Trails to give priority to renters who need the accessibility features of the units at the apartment complex.”
Original Publication Date: 10 November 2013
This story is in True’s book collections, in Volume 20.
This story is in True’s book collections, in Volume 20.
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