HUD Proposes New Rule to Fulfill Promise of 1968 Fair Housing Act
This month, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) proposed a new rule to fulfill the promise of the 1968 Fair Housing Act and meet President Biden's call in his first days in office to fully enforce this landmark law.
The “Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule” (AFFH) expands upon HUD’s previous policy to take major steps toward remedying the effects of the long history of discrimination in housing, fostering inclusive communities, implementing opportunities for transparency and accountability, and bolstering economic equity for American families.
HUD is seeking public comment on the rule. Read this guide to learn how to comment on the rule.
Specifically, the rule would , among other landmark changes:
- Implement the Fair Housing Act's affirmatively furthering fair housing mandate
- Enhance HUD technical assistance to local communities
- Streamline the required fair housing analysis for local communities, states, and public housing agencies and require them to set ambitious goals to address fair housing issues in their communities
- Require program participants to submit an Equity Plan to HUD every five years as well as annual progress evaluations—both of which would be published online
- Permit the public to file complaints with HUD if program participants are not living up to their AFFH commitments
The rule incorporates much of the 2015 AFFH rule , which was effective for only a short time before the previous administration dismantled it, as well as updates based on feedback HUD received from a variety of stakeholders.
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