Purpose. The purpose of the memorandum of understanding is to provide an effective, systematic arrangement under which the Federal Government, acting through HUD and GSA, will fulfill its responsibilities under law, and as a major employer, in accordance with the concepts of good management, to assure for its employees the availability of low- and moderate-income housing without discrimination because of race, color, religion, or national origin, and to consider the need for development and redevelopment of areas and the development of new communities and the impact on improving social and economic conditions in the area, whenever Federal Government facilities locate or relocate at new sites, and to use its resources and authority to aid in the achievement of these objectives.

1. Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3601) states, in section 801, that “It is the policy of the United States to provide, within constitutional limitations, for fair housing throughout the United States.” Section 808(a) places the authority and responsibility for administering the Act in the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Section 808(d) requires all Executive departments and agencies to administer their programs and activities relating to housing and urban development in a manner affirmatively to further the purposes of title VIII (fair housing) and to cooperate with the Secretary to further such purposes. Section 808(e)(5) provides that the Secretary of HUD shall administer the programs and activities relating to housing and urban development in a manner affirmatively to further the policies of title VIII.

2. Section 2 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1441) declares the national policy of “*  *  * the realization as soon as feasible of the goal of a decent home and a suitable living environment for every American family *  *  *.” This goal was reaffirmed in the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (sections 2 and 1601; 12 U.S.C. 1701t and 42 U.S.C. 1441a).

3. By virtue of the Public Buildings Act of 1959, as amended; the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended; and Reorganization Plan No. 18 of 1950, the Administrator of General Services is given certain authority and responsibility in connection with planning, developing, and constructing Government-owned public buildings for housing Federal agencies, and for acquiring leased space for Federal agency use.

4. Executive Order 11512, February 27, 1970, sets forth the policies by which the Administrator of General Services and the heads of Executive agencies will be guided in the acquisition of both federally owned and leased office buildings and space.

5. While Executive Order No. 11512 provides that material consideration will be given to the efficient performance of the missions and programs of the Executive agencies and the nature and functions of the facilities involved, there are six other guidelines set forth, including:

•  The need for development and redevelopment of areas and the development of new communities, and the impact a selection will have on improving social and economic conditions in the area; and

•  The availability of adequate low- and moderate-income housing, adequate access from other areas of the urban center, and adequacy of parking.

6. General Services Administration (GSA) recognizes its responsibility, in all its determinations with respect to the construction of Federal buildings and the acquisition of leased space, to consider to the maximum possible extent the availability of low- and moderate-income housing without discrimination because of race, color, religion, or national origin, in accordance with its duty affirmatively to further the purposes of title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 and with the authorities referred to in paragraph 2 above, and the guidelines referred to in paragraph 5 above, and consistent with the authorities cited in paragraphs 3 and 4 above. In connection with the foregoing statement, it is recognized that all the guidelines must be considered in each case, with the ultimate decision to be made by the Administrator of General Services upon his determination that such decision will improve the management and administration of governmental activities and services, and will foster the programs and policies of the Federal Government.

7. In addition to its fair housing responsibilities, the responsibilities of HUD include assisting in the development of the Nation's housing supply through programs of mortgage insurance, home ownership and rental housing assistance, rent supplements, below market interest rates, and low-rent public housing. Additional HUD program responsibilities which relate or impinge upon housing and community development include comprehensive planning assistance, metropolitan area planning coordination, new communities, relocation, urban renewal, model cities, rehabilitation loans and grants, neighborhood facilities grants, water and sewer grants, open space, public facilities loans, Operation BREAKTHROUGH, code enforcement, workable programs, and others.

8. In view of its responsibilities described in paragraphs 1 and 7 above, HUD possesses the necessary expertise to investigate, determine, and report to GSA on the availability of low- and moderate-income housing on a nondiscriminatory basis and to make findings as to such availability with respect to proposed locations for a federally-constructed building or leased space which would be consistent with such reports. HUD also possesses the necessary expertise to advise GSA and other Federal agencies with respect to actions which would increase the availability of low- and moderate-income housing on a nondiscriminatory basis, once a site has been selected for a federally-constructed building or a lease executed for space, as well as to assist in increasing the availability of such housing through its own programs such as those described in paragraph 7 above.

9. HUD and GSA agree that:

(a) GSA will pursue the achievement of low- and moderate-income housing objectives and fair housing objectives, in accordance with its responsibilities recognized in paragraph 6 above, in all determinations, tentative and final, with respect to the location of both federally constructed buildings and leased buildings and space, and will make all reasonable efforts to make this policy known to all persons, organizations, agencies and others concerned with federally owned and leased buildings and space in a manner which will aid in achieving such objectives.

(b) In view of the importance to the achievement of the objectives of this memorandum of agreement of the initial selection of a city or delineation of a general area for location of public buildings or leased space, GSA will provide the earliest possible notice to HUD of information with respect to such decisions so that HUD can carry out its responsibilities under this memorandum of agreement as effectively as possible.

(c) Government-owned Public Buildings Projects.

(1) In the planning for each new public buildings project under the Public Buildings Act of 1959, during the survey preliminary to the preparation and submission of a project development report, representatives of the regional office of GSA in which the project is proposed will consult with, and receive advice from, the regional office of HUD, and local planning and housing authorities concerning the present and planned availability of low- and moderate-income housing on a nondiscriminatory basis in the area where the project is to be located. Such advice will constitute the principal basis for GSA's consideration of the availability of such housing in accordance with paragraphs 6 and 9(a). A copy of the prospectus for each project which is authorized by the Committees on Public Works of the Congress in accordance with the requirements of section 7(a) of the Public Buildings Act of 1959, will be provided to HUD.

(2) When a site investigation for an authorized public buildings project is conducted by regional representatives of GSA to identify a site on which the public building will be constructed, a representative from the regional office of HUD will participate in the site investigation for the purposes of providing a report on the availability of low- and moderate-income housing on a nondiscriminatory basis in the area of the investigation. Such report will constitute the principal basis for GSA's consideration of the availability of such housing in accordance with paragraphs 6 and 9(a).

(d) Major lease actions having a significant socioeconomic impact on a community: At the time GSA and the agencies who will occupy the space have tentatively delineated the general area in which the leased space must be located in order that the agencies may effectively perform their missions and programs, the regional representative of HUD will be consulted by the regional representative of GSA who is responsible for the leasing action to obtain advice from HUD concerning the availability of low- and moderate-income housing on a nondiscriminatory basis to the delineated area. Such advice will constitute the principal basis for GSA's consideration of the availability of such housing in accordance with paragraphs 6 and 9(a). Copies of lease-construction prospectuses approved by the Committees on Public Works of the Congress in conformity with the provisions of the Independent Offices and Department of Housing and Urban Development appropriation acts, will be provided to HUD.

(e) GSA and HUD will each issue internal operating procedures to implement this memorandum of understanding within a reasonable time after its execution. These procedures shall recognize the right of HUD, in the event of a disagreement between HUD and GSA representatives at the area or regional level, to bring such disagreement to the attention of GSA officials at headquarters in sufficient time to assure full consideration of HUD's views, prior to the making of a determination by GSA.

(f) In the event a decision is made by GSA as to the location of a federally constructed building or leased space, and HUD has made findings, expressed in the advice given or a report made to GSA, that the availability to such location of low- and moderate-income housing on a nondiscriminatory basis is inadequate, the GSA shall provide the DHUD with a written explanation why the location was selected.

(g) Whenever the advice or report provided by HUD in accordance with paragraph 9(c)(1), 9(c)(2), or 9(d) with respect to an area or site indicates that the supply of low-and moderate-income housing on a nondiscriminatory basis is inadequate to meet the needs of the personnel of the agency involved, GSA and HUD will develop an affirmative action plan designed to insure that an adequate supply of such housing will be available before the building or space is to be occupied or within a period of 6 months thereafter. The plan should provide for commitments from the community involved to initiate and carry out all feasible efforts to obtain a sufficient quantity of low- and moderate-income housing available to the agency's personnel on a nondiscriminatory basis with adequate access to the location of the building or space. It should include commitments by the local officials having the authority to remove obstacles to the provision of such housing, when such obstacles exist, and to take effective steps to assure its provision. The plan should also set forth the steps proposed by the agency to develop and implement a counseling and referral service to seek out and assist its personnel to obtain such housing. As part of any plan during, as well as after its development, HUD agrees to give priority consideration to applications for assistance under its housing programs for the housing proposed to be provided in accordance with the plan.

10. This memorandum will be reviewed at the end of one year, and modified to incorporate any provision necessary to improve its effectiveness in light of actual experience.