HUD to Reopen AFFH Rule
Earlier today, HUD published a press release announcing that it published a notice inviting public comment on amendments to its Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) regulation.
[8/16/18 Edit – the notice has been published in the Federal Register. It can be found here. The comment due date is October 15, 2018.]
The Department wishes to receive comments on amending the rule so that it does the following:
- minimizes regulatory burden while more effectively aiding program participants to meet their statutory obligations;
- creates a process focused primarily on accomplishing positive results, rather than on analysis;
- provides for greater local control and innovation;
- seeks to encourage actions that increase housing choice, including through greater housing supply; and
- more efficiently utilizes HUD resources.
Currently, HUD has suspended the obligation of local governments to file Assessments of Fair Housing (AFHs) using the local government tool. The Department believed that the tool was “confusing, difficult to use, contained errors, and frequently produced unacceptable assessments, and otherwise required an unsustainable level of technical assistance.” There is currently a lawsuit brought by three civil rights groups filed against HUD on its action suspending requirements of the rule.
NAHRO will provide additional information to our members as we continue to read through the notice and as additional information becomes available.
The Department’s press release can be found here.
A pre-publication copy of the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking can be found here.
[8/16/18 Edit – the published copy can be found here.]