The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s rule implementing the Fair Housing Act discriminatory effects standard is inconsistent with current Supreme Court precedents on disparate impact theory and could be negatively affecting HUD’s housing goals, a group of House Republicans said in a letter to HUD Secretary Ben Carson today.
“Local governments, commercial and residential lenders, issuers, developers, and other mortgage industry service providers are less inclined to participate in housing projects because HUD’s disparate impact rule does not comply with the Supreme Court’s rulings,” the lawmakers wrote. “This inconsistency will reduce housing production, which in turn will increase housing expenses for many Americans, including those who can least afford it.”
The lawmakers urged HUD to make changes to the rule, adding that it “is a prime candidate for reconsideration” under an executive order issued by President Trump earlier this year calling on agencies to evaluate outdated, unnecessary or ineffective regulations, as well as those that impose costs that outweigh benefits.
