ACLU Comment on Final HUD Rule Gutting Fair Housing Protections

WASHINGTON — The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) dropped a final rule today rolling back critical protections in the Fair Housing Act’s Disparate Impact Rule. The existing Disparate Impact Rule is crucial for equal access to housing in the United States — it requires housing providers, financial institutions, municipalities, and other corporations to eliminate policies that appear neutral but disproportionately limit housing opportunities for marginalized and vulnerable communities, including people of color, people with disabilities, and survivors of domestic violence. The Trump Administration’s final HUD rule substantially rolls back these protections by creating unnecessary barriers for victims of housing discrimination attempting to prove claims against discriminatory housing practices.

Sandra Park, senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union’s Women’s Rights Project, had the following comment:

“The administration has launched another attack on fair housing by rolling back a standard that is the very foundation for equal access to safe and stable housing.

“The Fair Housing Act is critical for combatting modern forms of discrimination, including policies that have a harmful impact on women, people of color, people with disabilities, families with children, and other marginalized groups. During a time when millions of people are already suffering due to the pandemic and the impending eviction crisis, the administration has rolled back protections against housing discrimination that will make communities even more vulnerable to housing insecurity and abuse. We’re committed to fighting this rule and ensuring equal housing opportunities for all.”

The ACLU’s October 2019 comments on the proposed rule can be found here.