Local News in Brief : Fair Housing Council Placed on Probation

The Fair Housing Council of the San Fernando Valley, which last week fired its director for allegedly making an anti-Semitic remark, has been put on six months probation by its parent organization for failing to find a competent director.

Under the terms of the probation imposed by the Fair Housing Congress of Southern California, the council must hire a director by Feb. 20 or risk losing $102,500 in government funds. The council has an annual budget of $178,500.

The private, nonprofit council, which investigates complaints of housing discrimination, was put on probation three days after it fired Betty J. Bankhead, the executive director.

The agency’s board of directors fired Bankhead after witnesses said she called a former employee a “money-hungry Jew.” Bankhead has denied making the comment.

The council has not had a permanent executive director for a year and 10 months, said Janet Sohm, assistant director of the congress. Bankhead, who served about five months, and her predecessor, who served about nine months, had both remained on probation for the duration of their terms, she said.