Resident Appeals Housing Discrimination Complaint Denials

Urbana, Illinois City Administrator Carol Mitten and Human Rights and Equity Officer Carla Boyd have both made strong efforts to deny and conceal discrimination complaints, especially complaints against City employees

On August 30^th, 2022 a Hearing Body of the Urbana Human Relations Commission will consider appeals to three discrimination complaints which were handled by Human Rights and Equity Officer Carla Boyd.

The discrimination complaints were submitted by Urbana resident Charles Horn, who claims that three different rental companies (Element on Main, Joe Allan Properties, and The Weiner Companies) engaged in discriminatory practices in regards to his attempts to acquire housing. Boyd rejected all three complaints, arguing that there was “no probable cause” to justify further action.

Mr. Horn’s complaints all allege that the rental companies discriminated on the basis of a protected class, “source of income”, by refusing to accept Section 8 Housing vouchers. Horn provided Boyd with copies of emails and descriptions of housing ads.

One email from Rick Hawkins at the Weiner Companies, sent on December 17^th, 2021 leaves no question about their policies: “Good morning Charles, we don’t accept housing voucher (sic).”

A representative from Joe Allan properties said that the property that Mr. Horn had asked about would not have qualified for the Housing Choice Voucher Program because one or more windows has damaged screens and some chipped paint.

Carla Boyd’s finding of “no probable cause” for the complaint against Element on Main is most curious, since Boyd herself sent a letter to Element alleging violations. Boyd sent the letter on December 15^th, 2021, but Mr. Horn submitted his discrimination complaint to Boyd on November 30^th. Boyd’s letter would appear to be a direct response to Horn’s discrimination complaint.

Boyd to Element: “In reviewing your published online advertisement/application for your rental unit(s), an interest in the criminal background/record of rental applicants and/or statements concerning the acceptance of section-8 housing vouchers as a source of income was indicated. Either of these could be a potential violation of the City of Urbana Human Rights Ordinance. Please review your website and online rental application to remove any/all language that does not align with the ordinance.”

It doesn’t make sense that Boyd would send a letter to Element on Main directing them to remove discriminatory language from their advertisements and application, then later issue a determination of “no probable cause” to Mr. Horn.

Carla Boyd and her predecessors have not been shy about denying discrimination complaints. Last month, Check CU described how virtually every discrimination complaint submitted to the City over the past several years has been denied or ignored: Urbana’s History of Ignoring and Concealing Discrimination Complaints

To date, Boyd refuses to process any discrimination complaints which are made against City officials or employees.

The appeals hearing will take place in the Urbana City Council chambers this evening at 5:30pm (UPDATE: the hearing was cancelled shortly after this article was published). The Hearing Body will consist of Stacie Burnett (Chair of the HRC), Traci Nally (attorney for News Gazette mugshot writer Mary Schenk), and Bill Brown (past Urbana City Council member).

The panel is an interesting choice for a human rights hearing since Traci Nally has had multiple discrimination complaints submitted against her for creating illegal job listings, and Bill Brown voted in favor of and enforced illegal speech restrictions in 2020. Boyd’s determination letters and related documents for the three appeals are provided below.