Dive Brief:

• Staff members within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development say it is no longer enforcing fair housing and civil rights laws, according to a Sept. 22 letter from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) to the HUD inspector general asking for an investigation.
• The whistleblowers allege in documents they sent to Warren that HUD leadership told Office of Fair Housing staff that fair housing is “not a priority” of the Trump administration, which has reduced the office’s workforce nearly 70% since January.
• The OFH has also been under “a strict verbal gag order,” according to complaints Warren reviewed, that prevents attorney communication with other government agencies and parties in civil rights complaints without “express permission from political leadership.” HUD has so far “inappropriately” closed or halted approximately 115 housing discrimination cases, according to the complaint.

Dive Insight:

OFH works with the Justice Department and other HUD offices to enforce the Fair Housing Act and other laws that forbid discrimination in housing and federally funded community development and disaster recovery programs, among others. It also reviews HUD policies and programs to ensure they comply with fair housing and civil rights laws. Whistleblowers say the office began the year with 31 staffers. Incentivized retirements, terminations, resignations and reassignments will leave the office with 11 staffers, only six of whom are attorneys.

The Trump...

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