Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell is taking steps to support fair housing organizations amidst action by the Trump administration to cancel their grant funding and abandon the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) fair housing obligations.
“The Trump Administration’s efforts to undermine the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s fair housing initiatives and cancel grant funding would allow housing segregation and discrimination to go unchecked, causing significant harm to our residents and communities,” said AG Campbell. “I’m proud to continue to join attorneys general across the country to defend fair housing rights, which has allowed our offices to hold bad actors accountable for housing discrimination and award victims of discrimination restitution.”
On April 29, AG Campbell co-led 20 other attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, supporting fair housing organizations in their appeal of a ruling that lifted a temporary restraining order blocking the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from cancelling these organizations’ grant funding.
In their brief, the attorneys general argue that the temporary restraining order should be reinstated because the plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits of their lawsuit, and if allowed to take effect, HUD’s sudden revocation of funding will upend the important work of fair housing organizations, resulting in more housing discrimination being left undetected and unaddressed, which harms their states and residents.
For example, in Massachusetts, following an investigation into rental practices of real-estate brokers and agents in the South Shore, a fair housing organization brought substantial evidence to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO) showing that several brokerages were systemically denying rental applications from families with children and households with housing subsidies, such as Section 8. The AGO relied on that evidence to assert claims against those brokerages that ultimately resulted in successful settlements that required the defendants to pay restitution to victims, participate in fair-housing training courses, and adopt company-wide compliance measures.
On May 2, AG Campbell also joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general in sending a comment letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), opposing its interim final rule that ignores HUD’s duty to affirmatively further fair housing (AFFH).
In their letter, the attorneys general argue that HUD’s new interim final rule violates the charge of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and HUD’s mandate to affirmatively further fair housing. It does so by no longer requiring grantees to meaningfully evaluate whether their actions will reduce segregation and promote integration, nor does it require any specific fair housing planning processes on the part of grantees before they can receive federal funds. Instead, it undermines efforts to promote fair housing and ignores HUD’s statutory requirement to affirmatively further fair housing. According to the attorneys general, the proposed rule lacks any factual basis for its drastic policy change and practically depletes HUD’s oversight to identify and address barriers to fair housing.
These actions are AG Campbell’s latest effort to expand access to safe, affordable housing for all Massachusetts residents. Last week, AG Campbell released the office’s first-ever ‘Know Your Rights’ guide designed to help homebuyers and homeowners understand, recognize, and report appraisal discrimination. The AGO also continues to take action against housing providers who violate state and federal fair housing laws by discriminating against tenants and individuals applying for housing. In the past two months, the AGO’s Civil Rights Division has settled five fair housing matters, recovering more than $75,000 in settlement funds for residents who faced discrimination.
People who believe a company, business, or organization has violated their rights should file a civil rights complaint with the Attorney General’s Office online, or by calling (617) 963-2917.
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