HUD’s changes included asking applicants how their award would advance the Administration’s priorities on “gender ideology,” “faith-based activities” and immigration.
The U.S. District Court of Massachusetts paused changes to how the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded Fair Housing Initiative Program grants via a temporary restraining order on Aug. 26, writes Ryan Kushner for Smart Cities Dive.
HUD announced in June that it was limiting fair housing grants to five housing groups per year, down from the over 100 previously funded, and that only groups with a budget over $5 million would qualify. According to the complaint, most fair housing groups have budgets between $400,000 and $2 million. In the ruling, Judge Myong Joun wrote that HUD’s justification for these changes lacked “informed reasoning or explanation.”
HUD’s changes also added a question to the “merit and risk review” section of the application, asking applicants how their award would advance the Administration’s priorities on “gender ideology,” “faith-based activities,” and immigration. Joun said that HUD offered “no real justification” for these questions, and must reinstate the prior funding structure.
Read the full story: HUD fair housing funding changes blocked in court
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