As the deadline for public comment on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) proposed rule Reducing Barriers to HUD-Assisted Housing approaches on June 10, 2024, the National Apartment Association (NAA) continues its federal advocacy to discourage HUD from adopting these significant changes to federal policy.
The proposed rule would severely limit HUD-assisted housing providers’ discretion to make housing decisions based on renters’ criminal history, including: A 3-year lookback period, overly prescriptive requirements on types of convictions that assisted housing providers are allowed to consider and new pre-denial notice requirements. The rule also would raise the evidentiary standard for evictions based on covered residents’ criminal activity.
Let HUD know how these changes would impact rental housing:
We remain concerned that HUD will eventually apply these requirements to all housing providers covered by the Fair Housing Act, similar to the Agency’s 2016 criminal screening guidance. We need your help to elevate the industry’s concerns above all the stakeholder feedback that HUD will receive on this issue.
NAA continues robust efforts to ensure the voice of the rental housing industry is heard and valued as policymakers consider changes to federal housing policy. If you would like to learn more, please contact Joe Riter, NAA’s Senior Manager, Public Policy.