HUD released the new version of its Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) proposed rule, prior to publication in the Federal Register. Comments will be due 60 days from official publication.
The proposed rule retains much of the 2015 AFFH rule while simplifying the required fair housing analysis, emphasizing goal-setting, increasing transparency for public review and comment, fostering local commitment to addressing fair housing issues, enhancing HUD technical assistance to local communities and providing mechanisms for regular program evaluation and greater accountability.
Every five years program participants would submit to HUD for review and acceptance an Equity Plan. In addition, program participants would be required to conduct and submit to HUD annual progress evaluations that describe progress toward and/or any needed modifications of each goal in the Equity Plan. Both the Equity Plans and the annual progress evaluations would be posted online. The proposed rule includes provisions that permit members of the public to file complaints with HUD if program participants are not living up to their AFFH commitments and various other provisions that enable HUD to ensure that program participants are held accountable for complying with this rule.
