Fair Housing Act

The Department of Housing and Urban Development will revive a 2013 rule that makes lenders liable for practices that were unintentionally discriminatory as well as 2015 guidelines for how local jurisdictions comply with the Fair Housing Act.

After the agency pulled back on fair-lending enforcement in the Trump administration, interim Director Dave Uejio has made clear his intent to use the “disparate impact” standard to launch more anti-discrimination probes.

More than 50 years since the passage of fair-lending laws, homeownership remains out of reach for many people of color.

The president’s executive action looks to assess the impact of the previous administration's alterations to the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing and Disparate Impact rules, while reinforcing Biden’s vow to eliminate discriminatory lending practices.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's overhaul of its Qualified Mortgage standard is alarming free-market advocates who say it will precipitate a return to easy credit and higher defaults and could disproportionately harm minorities.

The bar to prove discriminatory patterns is so high that plaintiffs would have slim odds of winning lawsuits against housing providers.

Senate Democrats asked a watchdog to examine whether the bank regulator failed to investigate claims of discrimination against at least six banks.

Citing possible exploitation, Bank of America instituted a policy that put limits on loans to persons in guardianship. It later ended the policy.

The Trump administration's executive order to terminate and replace federal enforcement of anti-discrimination policies at the local level, citing the burden it put on municipalities, enraged advocates of equitable housing practices.

The White House's efforts to loosen equality requirements in lending run counter to the widespread demand for racial justice. Congress must act.