This bill aims to combat housing discrimination by establishing a comprehensive set of initiatives, including a nationwide program of testing . It mandates the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to conduct testing to identify and document discriminatory practices in housing rentals, purchases, and mortgage lending based on protected characteristics like race, sex, and disability status. HUD is directed to partner with qualified fair housing enforcement organizations for this testing and to issue regulations for tester training. The legislation significantly increases authorized appropriations for the existing Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) to $42,500,000 annually for fiscal years 2024 through 2028, with a substantial portion dedicated to private enforcement initiatives. Additionally, it creates a new competitive matching grant program for public and private nonprofit organizations. These grants will support comprehensive studies on the causes and effects of housing discrimination and segregation, including impacts on veterans, and fund pilot projects to test solutions. The bill requires HUD to submit biennial reports to Congress on the outcomes of the testing program and the grant studies, along with recommendations for legislative or administrative actions. It also includes a Sense of Congress urging HUD to fully comply with fair housing education, outreach, and enforcement obligations, while authorizing specific annual appropriations for these programs to enhance efforts against housing discrimination.
Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
Housing and Community Development
Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAge discriminationCongressional oversightDepartment of Housing and Urban DevelopmentDisability and health-based discriminationHousing and community development fundingHousing discriminationRacial and ethnic relationsSex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Housing Fairness Act of 2025
USA119th CongressHR-68| House
| Updated: 1/3/2025
This bill aims to combat housing discrimination by establishing a comprehensive set of initiatives, including a nationwide program of testing . It mandates the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to conduct testing to identify and document discriminatory practices in housing rentals, purchases, and mortgage lending based on protected characteristics like race, sex, and disability status. HUD is directed to partner with qualified fair housing enforcement organizations for this testing and to issue regulations for tester training. The legislation significantly increases authorized appropriations for the existing Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) to $42,500,000 annually for fiscal years 2024 through 2028, with a substantial portion dedicated to private enforcement initiatives. Additionally, it creates a new competitive matching grant program for public and private nonprofit organizations. These grants will support comprehensive studies on the causes and effects of housing discrimination and segregation, including impacts on veterans, and fund pilot projects to test solutions. The bill requires HUD to submit biennial reports to Congress on the outcomes of the testing program and the grant studies, along with recommendations for legislative or administrative actions. It also includes a Sense of Congress urging HUD to fully comply with fair housing education, outreach, and enforcement obligations, while authorizing specific annual appropriations for these programs to enhance efforts against housing discrimination.
Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAge discriminationCongressional oversightDepartment of Housing and Urban DevelopmentDisability and health-based discriminationHousing and community development fundingHousing discriminationRacial and ethnic relationsSex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination