New HUD Rules Aim to Ease Segregation in Housing

Under newly announced rules, communities around the United States seeking federal housing grants will soon be required to address segregation and inequality in housing. The rules will require towns and cities to study patterns of segregation and how they’re linked to access to jobs, high-quality schools, and public transportation, and to publicly report, every three to five years, the results. Then, the municipalities must submit goals, which will be tracked over time, for improving fair access to housing. Steps could include integrating communities or more evenly distributing services.

“A ZIP Code should never prevent any person from reaching their aspirations,” HUD Secretary Julian Castro said in announcing the regulations. Castro said the rules leave it to local partners to strike a balance between investing in low-income neighborhoods and building more affordable housing in high-opportunity areas.