The National Fair Housing Alliance on Nationwide Preliminary Injunction Blocking HUD’s New Disparate Impact Rule

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 26, 2020

Contact: jsusi@skdknick.com

The National Fair Housing Alliance on Nationwide Preliminary Injunction Blocking  HUD’s New Disparate Impact Rule 

Washington, D.C. — Today, Lisa Rice, CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance, released the following statement on an order from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, which enjoined the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from implementing its Final Rule on Disparate Impact.

“We applaud the decision by the federal court to halt HUD’s implementation of its Final Rule on Disparate Impact. The Rule, which was to take effect today, would have made it exceedingly difficult for victims of discrimination to fight systemic racism and discriminatory policies by housing providers, financial institutions and insurance companies. This decision ensures people can continue relying on the Fair Housing Act to protect them from discrimination.   

“We commend the efforts of the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center, Housing Works, Inc. and their counsel, Lawyers for Civil Rights and Anderson & Kreiger, LLP, in achieving this important victory. 

“NFHA and its members have worked for over a year to keep HUD from weakening this critical fair housing protection. When HUD proposed to rewrite the 2013 disparate impact rule adopted by the Obama administration, which incorporated a longstanding standard to redress structural barriers to housing opportunity, over 45,000 comments were submitted in response. HUD’s new Final Rule represents yet another example of the Trump administration’s racist policies and continued attacks on civil rights.

“After HUD adopted the Final Rule last month, NFHA filed one of the three federal lawsuits challenging it. Preserving the disparate impact tool is vital for protecting the rights of women, people of color, families with children, survivors of domestic violence and sexual harassment, and people with disabilities.  We continue to oppose its implementation and will continue to fight for fair housing rights for all.”

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About The National Fair Housing Alliance

Founded in 1988, NFHA is a consortium of more than 200 private, nonprofit fair housing organizations and state and local civil rights agencies from throughout the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NFHA works to eliminate housing discrimination and ensure equal housing opportunity for all people through leadership, education, outreach, membership services, public policy initiatives, community development, advocacy, and enforcement. Visit nationalfairhousing.org to learn more.