On March 16, 2020, PHADA submitted comments concerning HUD’s proposed changes to its AFFH rule. That proposal would amend the department’s Assessment of Fair Housing (AFFH) process implemented in a final rule published in 2015. This proposal makes significant changes to HUD’s AFFH processes consistent with PHADA’s comments prior to 2015 and in response to a 2018 Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. Unfortunately, this proposed rule also includes significant deficiencies in supporting HUD’s and program participants’ fulfilling their AFFH obligations, and the proposal includes significant gaps in its descriptions of how HUD will implement this proposed rule. As of March 16, the Government Printing Office reports that HUD has received 18,432 comments. That number will continue to rise as HUD reviews comments submitted by the deadline.
PHADA has described and discussed this proposal in several Advocate articles since the proposal’s publication on January 14, 2020, and will offer a presentation on the proposed changes at its Annual Conference and Exhibition in Denver from May 31 through June 3.