What Stricter Federal Housing Rules Will Mean for NYC

The Obama Administration is redoubling its effort to end housing segregation. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued a final rule that will force changes in how communities, including New York City, report racial bias and collect community input on integration efforts.

Since 2005, the NYC Department of City Planning has provided reports to HUD on its fair housing performance.

But in the most recent report on fair housing, the public comment period lasted just two weeks, and failed to collect even one public comment on the plan.

"If all I can do is comment on a plan after it’s already come out, it’s hard to reshape it and make sure it’s responsive to local communties," said Barika Williams, deputy director with ANHD, Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development, Inc. The group represents hundreds of community groups, many fighting to end social inequality.

The new federal rules will demand that the Department of City Planning talk to the community about fair housing issues they're concerned about and find out how they would suggest those bias issues be addressed.

This is a new opportunity for community groups and residents to be directly engaged in thinking about what their fair housing concerns and priorities are in local neighborhoods.

"In a city like New York with a lot of real estate pressure, [the new rules] really give community groups and residents a voice to say, this is what we’re seeing, this is what we’re concerned about," said Williams.

If communities fail to comply with the new federal rules, they could lose millions in federal funding for housing. 

In a statement, Mayor Bill de Blasio commended the federal team that developed the new regulations.