By Faith Camp, NDG Contributing Writer
Irving, Texas is known for its diversity, prosperity, and thriving housing market. Irving has established a reputation of thriving in the midst of a recession while other cities are surviving. However, not all of its residents feel and experience the relative prosperity of this great city.
Lisette Caraballo, owner of iRealty in Irving, says she believes some of her clients are not being treated fairly by the Housing and Human Services Department (HHS) in Irving, Texas. She stated her clients are trying to achieve the American dream of home ownership and they are not receiving the assistance from HHS she feels they deserve.
Julia Simons, a 50 year-old widower with a 13-year old son, is one of the clients at iRealty. She described her experience trying to get the updates regarding her status with closing through HHS of Irving as, “No one should be belittled and made to feel inferior, or treated as a nuisance as I was.“
According to Caraballo, the expected role of the Irving Housing Human Services in the first time home buying process for all Irving clients includes, Irving Housing Human Services Department certifying first time home buyer applicants and determining their housing eligibility. Also, they look at their ability to afford the monthly payment amount.
Caraballo has sought answers as to why some of her clients have had similar experiences to Simons. She feels her clients were treated unfairly, and no reasons were given explaining why their paperwork was drastically delayed.
“Many families have been in the City of Irving recertification process for more than a year after being approved by a bank for the mortgage loan and approved by the City for the Down Payment Assistance,” Caraballo said. This is much too long of a process without the proper communication, to the clients and their Realtors.
“The endless certification process administered by the City of Irving’s Housing and Human Services Department has been a constant theme among many families trying to purchase a Tudor Lane home.” Caraballo added, “These families have been told over and over again that their documents have expired and they have to submit new documents as well as extending closing dates. The City of Irving’s Housing and Human Services Department has failed these families.”
According to Caraballo these families have worked with local Realtors and are not fighting this battle alone. However, they still feel their voices are being unheard and justice is nowhere to be found. Therefore, iRealty decided to take their concerns to a higher power.
“The issues were communicated to past members of Irving City Council and current members of Irving City Council. Most recently, the issues were communicated to interim Irving City Manager, Steve McCullough. Sadly, communicating to all these city officials has produced no action,” according to Caraballo.
As a result of the Irving officials’ lack of responsiveness, Caraballo began to help some of her clients file HUD complaints. “The Human Services Department has forced many home buyers in the down payment assistance program to file HUD complaints under fair housing rights violations.”
Simons filed a complaint with HUD on June 20, 2013. She said she found out her file was not sent over to the Texas Department of Housing and Human Affairs (TDHCA) until four days after she filed her complaint. She was surprised when the TDHCA confirmed to her realtor that nothing with her name was ever entered in their system by the city of Irving, before that date. When the file finally did reach TDHCA, it was incomplete and incorrect.
Finally, after waiting two years to close and move into her home, she was shocked to find that her home was not in the condition she was told it would be in by the city inspector.
“I moved into my home on Dec. 28 and no one from the city has called me to come and repair the items that are not working properly. My realtor is still working to get them to come and do the right thing,” Simons said.
Caraballo said, due to the lack of follow up of the numerous client complaints to the city of Irving, she has requested the City of the Irving leadership to sponsor an independent investigation into the actions of Irving’s Housing and Human Services Department.
“This issue is not going away and City leaders will have to take action to discover the real concerns that are occurring inside the Housing Human Services Department. We will continue to communicate these issues to the City Council until a formal independent investigation is completed,” Caraballo said.
Caraballo said she is determined to see justice for her Irving residents.
Editor’s note: The Irving Housing and Human Services Department was contacted but no response received by press time.
