Three nonprofit legal firms, along with advocates and residents, rallied in front of City Hall Tuesday at noon urging the city council to reconsider its January rejection of a grant that would have housed 114 homeless residents – warning the council that the rejection might violate fair housing laws.
On January 13, the council voted 4-3 to reject a $20.1 million housing grant meant to turn the Quality Inn at 1590 University Avenue into 114 studio apartments for homeless and low-income residents. Since then, the council has faced several potential lawsuits and many disappointed residents asking the council to reconsider the grant.
The deadline for reconsideration of the vote – which would have had to happen within three successive meetings– has passed, according to a Feb. 27 statement by the city.
However, The ACLU of Southern California and the Inland Counties Legal Services sent letters warning the city that their rejection could violate the city’s legally binding Housing Element Law and fair housing laws based on what the organization describes as stereotypes against unhoused residents…