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Norwalk Housing Authority public commenter alleges discrimination against disabled African American tenant; city manager to follow up
Summary
A local resident told the Housing Authority meeting she believes staff used discriminatory tactics affecting disabled African American clients; the mayor asked the city manager to provide information to the council and the speaker.
At the start of the joint meeting that included the Norwalk Housing Authority, a resident, Lashima Swafford, accused the housing authority of discriminatory treatment of African American disabled clients and said she had documentation alleging falsified inspection reports and retaliatory conduct.
Swafford told the authority she believed some staff were using political or personal motives to deny benefits and that surrounding public-safety problems left her feeling unsafe. She said she is a working, disabled American citizen and asked to be treated without discrimination.
Mayor Tony Ayala asked the city manager to provide information on the issues Swafford raised and to share it with Ayala and council members. A staff speaker responded, "Yes. We'll provide you with the information," in the meeting record.
The transcript records Swafford's allegations and the city manager's commitment to provide information; no formal action or investigation outcome was announced at the meeting.
