RESOLUTION NO. RS2017-660

A resolution recognizing Tracey McCartney, Executive Director of The Tennessee Fair Housing Council.

WHEREAS, The Tennessee Fair Housing Council is a private, non-profit organization whose mission is to eliminate housing discrimination and to ensure equal opportunities for all people through leadership, education, outreach, public policy initiatives, advocacy and enforcement; and

WHEREAS, Tracey McCartney joined the Tennessee Fair Housing Council in February, 1998; and

WHEREAS, Tracey McCartney received her law degree from the University of Alabama in 1995. During that time she worked for 2½ years as a clerk/advocate for the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program and gained valuable fair housing experience dealing with group homes, zoning and reasonable accommodation issues; and.

WHEREAS, in September 1995, Tracey McCartney became one of the inaugural employees of the Central Alabama Fair Housing Center established in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1995 under a FHIP grant to the National Fair Housing Advocate for purposes of starting three new fair housing groups. Ms. McCartney’s duties at the center included complaint intake and investigation, testing, education and outreach; and

WHEREAS, during her time at the Central Alabama Fair Housing Center, Tracey McCartney coordinated 516 individual testing visits in the areas of rental, sales and mortgage lending and assisted with 48 individual insurance tests; and

WHEREAS, Tracey McCartney handled 141 individual complaints of housing discrimination (in addition to hundreds of inquiries that implicated landlord-tenant disputes or some other non-discrimination issue that were referred elsewhere), providing counseling on the law, testing, other types of investigation, conciliation, referral to HUD for investigation and referral to attorneys for litigation; and she recruited and trained 90 testers for the center's enforcement program; and.

WHEREAS, since joining the Tennessee Fair Housing Council in February 1998, Tracey McCartney has overseen the day-to-day operations of the office. Her duties include setting the broad direction of the agency; supervising the enforcement staff on testing, case intake and litigation; and the operation of the National Fair Housing Advocate web site. Ms. McCartney has received extensive training in fair housing from the National Fair Housing Alliance and at conferences sponsored by HUD and the John Marshall Law School; and

WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that the Metropolitan County Council goes on record as recognizing Tracey McCartney’s tireless efforts, professionalism, and the tremendous impact she has made in the lives of those she has touched.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:

Section 1. That the Metropolitan Council hereby goes on record as recognizing Tracey McCartney, Executive Director of The Tennessee Fair Housing Council.

Section 2. The Metropolitan Council Office is directed to prepare a copy of this Resolution to be presented to Tracey McCartney.

Section 3. This Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.

Sponsored by: Nancy VanReece, Fabian Bedne