The chairs of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) sent a letter to President Biden urging the White House to follow through on its commitment to advancing racial equity by immediately releasing the final “Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing” (AFFH) rule. The letter highlights racial disparities in housing access and notes the president’s publicly expressed commitment to advancing racial equity, which aim would be promoted by the release of the new rule.
In the letter, the three caucuses – known collectively as the Tri-Caucus – draw attention to the impact of racial discrimination in housing and the importance of implementing the fair housing rule. The letter references congressional testimony by National Fair Housing Alliance Executive Vice President Nikitra Bailey from March 2024, noting that “Bailey underscored the historical legacy of discriminatory laws and policies that have perpetuated a dual housing market, favoring White households while marginalizing Black, Latino, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI).” Historical injustices persist today, as evidenced by disparities in housing affordability, “particularly among Latino and AANHPI renters and homeowners living at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Line, who face severe housing cost burdens.”
According to the letter, research shows that implementing the AFFH rule would help address the gaps in affordability and housing access and benefit members of every demographic. By implementing the AFFH rule, the Biden administration would foster social justice and promote the economic potential of every individual and community. Likewise, the letter notes that the proposed AFFH rule, if implemented, would help provide local leaders with “the tools and incentives they need to set ambitious goals to address fair housing issues in consultation with the communities they serve.”
Read the letter here.