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Public
Policy
Comment Letter on State and Local Housing Flexibility
Act
On May 10, 2005, the Lawyers’ Committee, joined by
the Poverty and Race Research Action Council, the National
Fair Housing Alliance, and the National Housing Law Project,
submitted a comment letter to the House Financial Services
Committee opposing H.R. 1999, the “State and Local
Housing Flexibility Act of 2005.” Among other things,
the bill would place new obstacles in the path of low-income
and minority families seeking housing opportunities outside
predominantly minority, low-income areas; result in the
transfer of vouchers from low-income black and Hispanic
families; and eliminate essential affordability requirements
in the program. At the May 12th Financial Services Committee
hearing on the bill, Barney Frank (D-MA) cited the Lawyers’
Committee’s coalition letter, raising strong objections
based on fair housing and civil rights concerns. Other members
also joined him in criticizing provisions limiting housing
choice in the voucher program, which would lead to housing
segregation and greater concentrations of poverty in minority
neighborhoods.
For a copy of the comment letter, click
here. For a copy of the Lawyers’ Committee press
release, click
here.
The
Lawyers' Committee submits comments on HUD's draft five-year
strategic plan urging HUD to expand monitoring and enforcement
of its obligation to prevent discrimination in the administration
of HUD-funded programs, ensuring that programs such as HOPE
VI, CDBG and LIHTC do not unfairly displace minority families
or increase segregation; to expand funding of its Fair Housing
Enforcement Office's investigation of fair housing complaints;
to encourage local PHAs to manage their Section 8 voucher
programs in a manner that promotes integrated housing choice;
and to tailor HUD's homeownership program to address barriers
faced by minorities and promote integrated homeownership options.
For a copy of the comments,
click here
On
December 19, 2002, Cheryl Ziegler submitted written testimony
to the Charleston, West Virginia City Council to express
grave concerns with the City’s plans to expand urban
renewal activities into a predominantly African-American
neighborhood.
For a copy of her testimony,
click here
The
Lawyers’ Committee urges HUD to Revise the Real Estate
Settlement Procedures Act (“RESPA”) to Improve
the Disclosure of Loan Costs and Fees on Mortgage Documents
In Order to Combat the Abusive Practices of the Mortgage
Settlement Loan Industry.
Click here for a copy of
the Lawyers’ Committee’s comment letter
Barbara
R. Arnwine, Executive Director of the Lawyers' Committee
for Civil Rights Under Law, Testifies on HUD Enforcement
of Rights Under the Fair Housing Act Before the United States
House of Representatives Financial Services Committee, Subcommittee
on Housing and Community Opportunities.
The
Lawyers' Committee Urges OTS to Amend AMTPA to Prevent Lenders
From Avoiding State Law Restrictions on Prepayment Penalties
and Late Fees.
In Response to Letter by the Lawyers' Committee and Others,
the Federal Reserve Board Implements Changes to the Home Mortgage
Disclosure Act to Require (i) the Collection of Price Information
on Almost All Subprime Loans; (ii) the Collection of Race
and Gender Data on all Telephone Loan Applications; and (iii)
the Reporting of Whether a Loan is a First Mortgage or a Second
Mortgage.
The
Lawyers' Committee Supports HUD's Proposed Rule to Require
HUD Approval Before Community Development Block Grant Funds
Can Be Used to Demolish HUD-owned Properties.
In
Effort to Limit the Dramatic Impact of Predatory Lending
Practices on Minorities, the Lawyers' Committee Urges HUD
to Adopt Regulations to Prohibit Property Flipping in HUD’s
Single Family Mortgage Insurance Programs.
The
Lawyers' Committee Urges Various Federal Agencies to Update
and Improve the Community Reinvestment Act.
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