How the Trump Administration Is Weakening the Enforcement of Fair Housing Laws

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Some key points from their reporting:
– HUD officials have closed or halted at least 115 fair housing cases, with concerns that race-based cases may be the next to be abandoned.
– HUD’s Fair Housing Office is facing a significant staff reduction and struggles to allocate funds for investigations.
– Some accused individuals are defying HUD, with one public housing authority retracting a settlement offer to the agency.

One individual, Kennell Staten, faced discrimination based on his sexual orientation when applying for housing assistance. After filing a complaint with HUD, he was informed that his case was not considered a violation of federal law under the new administration. This shift in policy reflects a broader decline in federal enforcement of fair housing laws, leaving many victims of discrimination without recourse.

The decrease in staff at HUD’s Fair Housing Office has led to a slowdown in investigations and a lack of resources to pursue discrimination cases effectively. As a result, many cases have been halted or closed, with concerns raised about the future of fair housing enforcement in the United States.