Housing
and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan announced new regulations
aimed at addressing discrimination in federal housing programs would
become official this week. The draft regulations were announced in
January 2011 and Secretary Donovan made the announcement today at the
Creating Change conference in Baltimore.
"The new regulations from HUD will help protect LGBT people and our
families in one of the most fundamental aspects of life - finding and
keeping a home," said HRC President Joe Solmonese. "This common sense
action will help some of the most vulnerable people in our community in
trying to make homes for themselves and their families."
The new rule makes three important changes to federal regulations.
First, it includes language that ensures same-sex couples and their
children are recognized as families covered by HUD programs, including
affordable housing assistance. Second it prohibits owners and operators
of HUD-assisted housing, or housing whose financing is insured by HUD,
from inquiring about the sexual orientation or gender identity of an
applicant or basing a decision on their perceived sexual orientation or
gender identity. Third it prohibits consideration of factors other than
creditworthiness, including sexual orientation and gender identity, in
the awarding of mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing
Administration.
As part of its Blueprint for Positive Change, HRC submitted more than
70 recommendations for executive action which would improve the lives of
LGBT Americans to the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition Team. Since
the administration began, HRC staff have met and communicated with
numerous federal agencies on how to implement these policies. Addressing
discrimination in federal housing programs was part of HRC's
recommendations for HUD.