By increasing the number of people who benefit from an expansion of fair and affordable housing, HUD expects that a larger share of the local community will be motivated to participate in local discussions on how to AFFH and what strategies are best suited for the locality.
“This new proposal is a major retreat in the Federal Government’s efforts to confront its history of discrimination and reverse that legacy so that all families, across all communities, have access to the resources they need to succeed.” AFFH has now been replaced with a new rule, called Preserving Community and Neighborhood Choice – which eases restrictions on localities. development.The Boring Company’s "public transit" system has become a valet stand in a parking garage.Designed by a leading voice of the Arts & Crafts movement, this historic home is a 37-minute train ride from Penn Station.The structures were handcrafted with mostly salvaged materials, including ropes and oars from Jack London’s boat.The NLIHC, in a statement, said “Secretary Carson has suggested in the past that he would use the AFFH rule to lessen restrictive zoning practices that inhibit affordable housing production in certain communities, an important goal given the deep racial disparities created by some local zoning laws. The Trump administration announced on Jan. 14 that it would administer a completely new housing rule that removes the federal requirement to address … The rule in question, Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH), was put in place in 2015 to strengthen the Fair Housing Act of 1968. “What HUD has released is not a rule to affirmatively further fair housing,” said Lisa Rice, president and CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance. Such incentives may encourage citizens and local businesses to participate in important local housing debates when they otherwise may have sat on the sidelines.
To that end, HUD is proposing to evaluate how program participants are carrying out their AFFH obligation as a threshold matter by using a series of data-based measures to determine whether a jurisdiction (1) is free of adjudicated fair housing claims; (2) has an adequate supply of affordable housing throughout the jurisdiction; and (3) has an adequate supply of quality affordable housing.“HUD’s commitment to Fair Housing remains as steadfast as ever before, and this improved rule reaffirms our mission of giving people more affordable housing options in communities across the country,” Carson said.
But he fails in this regard as well, choosing to instead let localities off the hook by explicitly stating there will be no consequences if they keep their restrictive zoning laws.”“It’s shameful that at a time when housing discrimination is still rampant, President Trump and Secretary Carson continue to try to gut foundational civil rights laws like the Fair Housing Act,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren in a statement. “Therefore, HUD believes it is necessary to revise the codified regulation, not just the assessment tools.”The Trump administration is “tearing down” an Obama-era rule related to Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH), HUD Secretary Ben Carson said.With the court’s decision in its back pocket, HUD moved forward with its plan to “streamline” the AFFH rule by inviting comments from the public and industry participants on how best to enforce fair housing regulations.According to HUD, the newly proposed rule “offers clearer guidance to states and local governments to help them improve affordable housing choices in their community.”It appears that HUD is taking the carrot, not stick approach for addressing fair housing, seeking to reward cities for their positive efforts rather than punishing them for their lack of effort to address issues.Proposes changes to Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing ruleAccording to HUD, these new changes are necessary for a number of reasons.HUD believes that fair housing choice exists when a jurisdiction can foster the broad availability of affordable housing that is decent, safe, and sanitary and does so without housing discrimination.