“To nullify certain regulations and notices of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and for other purposes.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section nullifies three Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations and notices related to the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) requirement under the Fair Housing Act—including (1) the June 10, 2021, interim final rule entitled “Restoring Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Definitions and Certifications” (86 Fed. Reg. 30779), (2) the July 16, 2015, final rule entitled “Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing” (80 Fed. Reg. 42272), and (3) the December 31, 2015, notice relating to the AFFH Assessment Tool (80 Fed. Reg. 81840)—as well as any substantially similar successor rules or notices. (AFFH requires HUD program participants, such as state and local governments receiving community development block grant funds, to take meaningful actions to overcome historic patterns of segregation and promote fair housing choice.)
This section prohibits the use of federal funds to design, build, maintain, utilize, or provide access to a federal database of geospatial information on community racial disparities or disparities in access to affordable housing.
This section directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to consult jointly with state officials, local government officials, and public housing agency officials to develop recommendations, consistent with Supreme Court rulings, to further Fair Housing Act purposes (i.e., prohibiting housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability). The consultation must provide notice and opportunity to participate; seek input from a broad cross-section of perspectives; emphasize collaboration; allow meaningful and timely input; promote transparency; and explore non-regulatory alternatives to achieve federal objectives. Not later than 12 months after enactment, the Secretary must publish in the Federal Register a draft report containing only consensus recommendations (or describing areas of agreement, disagreement, and reasons therefor if consensus is not reached), provide a 180-day public comment period, prepare a final report addressing comments, and make the final report publicly available online not later than 12 months after enactment.