Letter Calls on HUD Secretary Carson to Withdraw the Rule
CLPHA and our counsel Reno & Cavanaugh today sent a letter to HUD Secretary Ben Carson expressing vehement opposition to HUD’s Preserving Community and Neighborhood Choice Final Rule (the “New AFFH Rule”) and condeming HUD's transparent and illegal efforts to turn back the clock and re-establish discriminatory and racist housing policy.
Excerpts from the letter include, “Clearly and unapologetically, the New AFFH Rule does nothing to affirmatively further fair housing or render technical assistance. On the contrary, it is a deliberate rejection and dereliction of HUD’s statutory and moral obligations.”
"We are shocked and dismayed by HUD’s stark admission that the 'abandon[ment of] its prior approach' to AFFH was produced at the direction of the President of the United States, who has recently stated that rescission of the AFFH Rule will allow 'the people living their Suburban Lifestyle Dream' to live without being 'bothered or financially hurt by having low income housing built in [their] neighborhood,' that 'housing prices will go up,' and 'crime will go down.' We are left to conclude that HUD is actively attempting to eliminate decades of fair housing progress by legalizing discriminatory and racist housing policies through the New AFFH Rule.”
“The New AFFH Rule is a perfect storm of regressive social policy and a total disregard for the rule of law. HUD must withdraw the New AFFH Rule and stand with PHAs and localities across the country to confront the legacy of discriminatory housing policies and take affirmative actions to ensure that lower income individuals and communities most in need of decent, safe, and affordable housing have equal and fair access to housing.”
