NLIHC and several NLIHC members and State and Tribal Partners joined a letter led by the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) urging President Biden to release the final “Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing” (AFFH) rule immediately. The letter, sent by nearly 300 state, local, and national organizations, cites the President’s previous commitments to equity, racial justice, and “equal access to housing opportunity for all.” Meanwhile, national housing organizations have announced a webinar, “Fair Housing Futures: Fulfilling the Fair Housing Act’s Promise through the AFFH Rule,” scheduled for April 29 at 1 pm ET. Register here.
Nearly 300 organizations wrote to the White House, imploring the administration to “follow through on its commitments and release the final AFFH rule as soon as possible so that more communities can have affordable and accessible housing options” that impact all areas of their lives. The letter calls on the Biden administration to use one of its strongest tools to create a more fair housing market. Addressed directly to President Biden, the letter states: “As you reflected on the 55th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, ‘A fair housing market is critical to the fulfillment of the American dream.’ Our response is that a fair housing market cannot be realized without a strong AFFH rule. By investing in interventions that ensure that everyone can access fair, affordable, and accessible housing in thriving neighborhoods, we can create communities of opportunity. We urge the White House to immediately release the final proposed AFFH rule, so that more Americans can have their chance at the American Dream.” In a press release, the NFHA noted that the proposed rule received more than 500 public comments, most of which welcomed the rule and called for it to be strengthened.
The proposed AFFH rule was released in January 2023, and NLIHC has released a statement in support of the rule (see Memo, 1/23/2023). The proposed rule would help communities meet a more than five-decade old requirement to actively address systemic racism and segregation, which have often resulted from specific federal policies. The proposed rule would seek to improve a 2015 rule issued by the Obama administration that was suspended abruptly and replaced by the Trump administration in 2018. The proposed rule had six overarching features endorsed specifically by NLIHC, which has also proposed suggestions for further improvements for each. The six overarching features were: (1) enhanced community engagement, (2) greater public transparency, (3) a public complaint process, (4) a stronger link between the (new) Equity Plan goals and Consolidated Plans and PHA Plans, (5) an annual evaluation of progress toward achieving fair housing goals, and (6) clarification of and emphasis on the need for a “balanced approach” to affirmatively furthering fair housing.
Advocates are encouraged to attend a webinar, “Fair Housing Futures: Fulfilling the Fair Housing Act’s Promise through the AFFH Rule,” on April 29. The webinar will explore the foundational elements of the “Fair Housing Act” and the implications of the proposed 2023 AFFH rule. Participants will gain insights into the rule’s significance for communities actively fighting for fair housing and identify actionable strategies to aid in its implementation. Speakers will include Michael Santos, associate director of U.S. Poverty Policy at RESULTS and Chair of the ABA Commission on Homelessness & Poverty; Rasheedah Phillips, director of housing futures and land justice at PolicyLink; Josh Dubensky, housing policy advocate associate at SAGE; and Liz Ryan Murray, director of strategic campaigns at Public Advocates.
Read the organizational letter to President Biden here.
Register for the April 29 webinar here.
For a comprehensive background on fair housing, read NLIHC’s Fair Housing webpage and find a list of AFFH resources from NLIHC here.