By Gloria DULAN-Wilson
Hello All:
HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge is advancing racial equity to ensure the promise to America for Black Americans and all communities across the country.
With
so many headline-grabbing stories in the news - faux and otherwise -
effectively taking our attention away from essential issues, it's very
easy to overlook seriously Good News. Sadly, this kind of news rarely
hits the headlines on meanstream media, and certainly not Netflix, HULU
or other genres. And, unless YOU are savvy about the Federal Register,
you're most likely not going to be aware that something Good is Getting
Ready to Happen for Black People and people of color - i.e.YOU!!
So
It's up to me to make sure YOU know what's up. And YOU know how much I
love sharing good news and positive information - especially when it
benefits Black people directly. So here it is in a nutshell:
HUD
SECRETARY MARCIA L. FUDGE, her staff, and their affiliates want to make YOU (we/us) a homeowner!! She is removing the barriers to owning
decent affordable homes, and, for the first time in a very long time,
revamping the policies so that they truly are in y/our favor!! The rules
have changed, the protocols have changed, and even the outreach has
changed. What hasn't changed - sadly - YOU being on the late show; the last to know; and our overlooking or not paying attention to / or pro-actively taking advantage of
this wonderful opportunity.
So turn off Netflix, TikTok, and whatever
else you're checking out - unless they are also working with HUD and Secretary Fudge to help YOU become a homeowner, because I'm going to repeat it again - just in
case YOU missed it:
HUD SECRETARY MARCIA FUDGE, IS HELPING BLACK PEOPLE AND PEOPLE OF
COLOR BECOME HOMEOWNERS OF DECENT AFFORDABLE HOMES!
NOW! ARE YOU IN?
Secretary
Fudge is so concerned that YOU take advantage of this wonderful
opportunity that she brought together members of the Black media In
order to make sure we had the information first hand, and would in
turn get the word out to make millions of YOU aware of
expanded opportunities and options for ownership. Secretary Fudge
personally hosted the Black Press Conference, Dear Readers, so that we
can inform YOU; and YOU, in turn, will take advantage of these programs
NOW - IMMEDIATELY, IF NOT SOONER, for yourselves and your family.
Get it?
GOT IT!
GOOOOD!!
In
doing my job of informing YOU about your options and opportunities for
home ownership under the new regime put together by Secretary Marcia
Fudge, I also want YOU to develop a sense of urgency, so that YOU don't
just sit there and cynically read the words, and think it's for someone
else.
No!! This is for YOU! I want you to get up, log on to their website, download the
forms; fill out those applications, or make the appointment, show up in
person, and start becoming homeowners. I want YOU to be able to say, "I
read it in ECLECTICALLY BLACK NEWS by Gloria DULAN-Wilson," so they will
know that I have kept my word. (BTW: Make sure YOU share this information and resources with friends, family and associates - we need to build a critical mass of Black and people of color home owners. Sitting on this info is not a good thing).
The
Bible says, don't just be hearers or readers of this information; but
be do-ers and follow through. This is your job to take advantage of the
good when it's presented to you. Procrastination is death. Your
job and responsibility is to follow up and follow through, and take
advantage of the options being offered to you via HUD. Don't sit there
while others scoop up opportunities meant for YOU.
As
you know, I'm a stickler for detail - so you will not be short
changed. I'm also providing wise counsel that will hopefully enhance
your chances. HUD is making homeownership available for all, regardless
of age, education, geography.
By
the way, for those of YOU who are in college, just graduated from
college, have student loans, or are just starting out, there are several
programs that now that turn these liabilities into advantages to
enhance your credit ratings. If YOU've paid rent on time, your payments
can be used to enhance your credit ratings; and student loans no longer
can be used against you in the purchase of a new home.
It's
been a truism for decades that a house is the most expensive thing
you'll ever own. But now let's transform that statement to something
more engaging, empowering and salient: Owning a home of your own is the most important and empowering investment YOU'll ever have.
And, while home ownership is generally considered a part of the
American dream, when it comes to Black people, it has been an elusive,
almost impossible, goal. Ownership of property is equated with power in
America.
From the 18th century, during and after slavery, racial
discrimination was (is) an ugly fact of our existence as Black people.
President Lincoln was the first president to try to make sure Black
people had their own land - with his designation that former slaves
would receive 40 acres and a mule to start out with after being released
from slavery to level the playing field.
Discrimination in homeownership continued, largely unabated, until over 100 years later in
1965, when President Lyndon Baines Johnson established the Department
of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program as part of THE GREAT SOCIETY. He had a vision for low and
moderate income families to truly have equal opportunity to all that
the American Dream portends. Curiously enough, LBJ was the second president who tried to make sure Black people had land, but the last
person anyone would have expected to have set up a program like HUD. As part of an extreme right wing racist party, he was also considered
a high roller in the political realm.
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| MARTIN LUTHER KING & PRESIDENT JOHNSON |
Few of his colleagues knew he had grown up in
Texas in abject poverty, which made him painfully aware of the dire
situation Black people faced (of course, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and
SCLC frequently visiting him in reference to voting and civil rights
may also have had something to do with it. IJS).
Since
HUD's inception in 1965, millions of Black families, and families of color, have been assisted in becoming
homeowners of decent affordable homes. However, as different
administrations came into office - especially under the most recent administration - many of the programs have either been discontinued,
mismanaged, or defunded, leaving HUD barely limping along by the time
President Biden was elected in 2020. HUD owned/controlled/ funded
properties had fallen into disrepair, or were now privately owned.
Massive waiting lists for Section 8 accommodations were between 10 and
20 years long, with no indication of fulfillment, languished in filing
cabinets gathering dust. HUD auction properties had been bumped up to
market rate levels, and ridiculous criteria for participation ensured
that only individuals with deep pockets could actually afford to bid.
If you mentioned HUD to most people - especially African Americans -
they would most likely scoff and say something derogatory about the
program.
But,
in 2021, President Joe Biden, in his infinite wisdom, and out of an
abundance of concern for the millions of constituents who have been
pushed to the edge of society, appointed Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge
as the First Black Woman Secretary of HUD.
 |
| President Joe Biden |
Talk about a real Game
Changer!! How brilliant it was to bring someone on board who has the
compassion, keen eye, and the capacity to lead by example. Since taking
the reins two years ago, she has advanced the equity in properties, and
expanded support for Black Americans and communities across the US.
Secretary Fudge has taken major steps to make homeownership more
accessible, eliminating discriminatory practices, keeping more families
in their homes, while also advancing fair housing as a rule, not an
exception.
Secretary Fudge: We did sit down with the President in the white house and HUD to come
up with a tenants bill of rights, that we're going to enforce - and I
know that Demetria does a lot of enforcement work, because what e found
when we came - let me be real real honest about what we found when we
came: We
had an agency that was hollowed out - it was short of over 1,000
employees; so we first had to come in and get up to speed - just to have
enough people to do the work. We inherited an agency that tried to dismantle anything that really helped the
people. So we're getting up to speed, and I'm very concerned about the
way our seniors in particular are treated. My mother is 92 years old.
So all her friends call her to tell me what's wrong. So I deal with
this every single day.
website
Secretary Fudge: Between Ginnie Mae, HUD and FHA and Sandra Thompson of FHFA, we control
70% of the entire GNP of this country! The four of us. Think
about how big that is. WE are sharing some of the things we are doing
because we know that people don't often get a chance to hear what we do;
because people don't write about it - even though housing is the number
one driver of inflation in this country today. When you think about
the cost of things, the single largest thing that people outlay in their
budgets is housing! Until we can do more with the housing market -
which we're working on - we cannot get inflation down. So they can talk
all they want, but they have to deal with housing. So let me start out by talking about a few things that might be of interest to you:
1)
For those of you who don't know me, this is the work that I love to
do: Try to make people's lives better. We came into an environment
where people had lost hope in their government. Especially people who
live in public housing - those who have vouchers; those who are on
section 8; those who are struggling against homelessness. There was no
hope. And I believe that within this two year period that I've been
here, I've seen a complete change, and these people have given us an
opportunity to show what we can do.
So one of the things
we did first was change the way we do underwriting policies. WE know
that people - especially people of color - come to us, and they say,
"I'm not credit worthy, because they have no credit. So what we have
done is change the policy such that if you have a positive rental
history, we will consider that positive credit. So if you're paying
your rent on time, every month, we are now saying that is credit for
you. We have a positive credit report from you.
During
the press conference when one of the journalists mentioned the
deplorable conditions some of the recipients were living in, in such
areas as Atlanta, Baltimore and Virginia, she said firmly: "Those
people have been successfully relocated without increase of their
rents. There will absolutely be no one living under those kinds of
conditions. WE are making bold moves to renovate and upgrade our
properties, and removing those that do not comply with our standards."
She further stated: "No one should be forced to live in substandard,
deplorable circumstances because of their credit rating; and we'll be
working to end that. (NB: "She then took her glasses off and looked
directly into the camera so others could see how sincere and serious she
was).
Making Homeownership More Accessible
Black ownership took a major hit as the result of the massive economic downturn between 2007-2010
- losing hundreds of millions in home equity as the real estate
industry went berserk with greed, leaving many homeless, and properties
over encumbered by inflated mortgage loans that far exceeded the
properties' values. Some were just beginning to recover when Covid19
pandemic hit, making matters exponentially worse. However, Secretary
Fudge has taken the lead, personally scrutinizing and improving every
sector of HUD to make sure that Black Americans and people of color were
able to remain in their homes.
Fudge: We
have looked at the fact that at least 45% of all first time home buyers
who come to us - especially first time home buyers - have student loan
debt; and have been denied mortgages based on the fact that we've rated
student loans higher than any other kind of debt. So what we have done
is recalculate student loan debt to make it such that people who carry a
certain amount of debt can still get a mortgage. So what we are saying
is that you are no longer going to be totally denied because you have a
certain kind of debt.
Homelessness
- something we don't talk much about, because Black people make up 13%
of the population of this country, but make up 40% of all the people
sleeping on th streets!!! And the fastest growing number of those people
are Black women over the age of 60. Let's talk about grandmothers
sleeping on the streets. The other fastest growing homeless population
are women with children; because we now live in a society where not only
can people not afford decent housing; but also, there's not enough of
it!. WE stand today where are short about one and a half million units
of housing in this country; because the supply has never kept up with
the demand. Especially moderate, low income housing.
In
addition to the two groups I just mentioned, about 200,000 of the
people who sleep on the streets, out of the 500,000 are veterans -
people who have served this nation. And we are allowing them to sleep
on the street in the greatest nation in the world - so I spend a lot of
time dealing with homelessness. And we've been successful partnering
with hundreds of communities across this country to get them to assist
us in getting homeless, unsheltered people off the street. So our teams
have found over 100,000 homes for homeless across the country - just
based on us focusing on it and and working on it.
We've
done everything we can to keep people in their homes. You know, during
the pandemic, we found ways to keep you in your home. That accounted
for about two million people over all, and for about 600,000 of those
people were Black. But now we have realized that it's so successful,
tha we're going to expand it to everybody who needs it - not just
people affected by Covid. We want to keep people housed, and that is
something that we intend to do.
We've
just recently put out more than three million dollars in housing
counseling - specfically targeting HBCUs, and minority serving
institutions.
Even
durning the pandemic we, HUD, were still giving mortgages to people of
color, because I think what the people realize is the fact that the
when economy is not good, everybody turns to the government. We become
the lender of last resort. So people are still coming to us. We just
recently reduced our mortgage insurance premium by 30 basis points;
which is saving people, in some instances, thousands of dollars. The
average savings is about $800.00 Annually - But just to be able to say to them, we'll get you every kind of help we can possibly give you.
In February 2023, Secretary Fudge reduced mortgage insurance (PMI)
rates substantially, making it less expensive for millions of Americans
to purchase a home. With the median price of a home at $467,700, the
savings could be $1400 a year or more; with a national aggregate savings
of $600 million by next year. Most importantly is the coordination and
consolidation with 13 other agencies to help in the financing of home
purchases, including *FHA, Ginnie MAE, Fannie MAE, Freddie MAC, (and
other acronyms you will no doubt become intimately familiar with as you
traverse the route of homeownership):
GINNIE MAE President: Alanna McCargo: Now let's talk about the money -
about two point three trillion dollars ($2.3 trillion) that are under
the control of this HUD Secretary - we have the privilege of being the
most powerful House and Finance Engines in the world. And we are
providing and putting in stability into the US Housing and Finance
Markets - but more importantly, disproportionately to Black People.
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| Ginnie Mae Pres. Alanna McCargo |
Programs that we serve, and the purpose that we have, our mission is written down, and it's put into play from 1968, right after the Fair Housing legislation was passed, was that we are to provide capital and support to the communities that need it most. And that is what Ginnie Mae is here to to - the second largest monetary market, we stand next to or are the same size as Freddie MAC, and Fannie MAE as well in providing similar secondary market support that we do; and our existence is her to insure that we support housing and ownership as it's available to communities that need it most. Our current goals under this administration is to advance efforts and expand access to Mortgage credit; strengthen the system of banks and to institutions that make those loans; and provide liquidity needed for helping the most vibrant federal housing system in America. We still have work to do - for 55 years development of housing was under the control of HUD. A leader in affordable housing and homeownership for over 22 million low and moderate household income families, first time homebuyers, are a fraction. Veteran families who have served, tribal and third world are also directly in our focus and are part of the fabric of who Ginnie Mae is. At the top of the market we offer opportunities in low interest financing. It's not only the Federal Housing Administration that offers these loans. (Ginnie Mae: GNMA or Government National Mortgage Association)
2.
HUD has also established a new online and telephone search option to
give you increased capability in seeking and locating assistance from
the more than 1,500 HUD approved housing counseling agencies, and their
more than 4,000 HUD-certified housing counselors. More than 3,000
consumers daily obtain housing counseling assistance for such topics as
homeownership, financing, planning, rental housing, foreclosure
avoidance, eviction prevention, insurance coverage, mortgage rates,
housing stability, etc.
3.
In addition to homebuyers, HUD is providing historic support for HBCUs
by engaging them to support regional economic development to
successfully serve and engage community leaders, leverage involvement of
the private sector, and establish a strategic blueprint for regional
collaboration, to increase access to affordable housing. They are
providing funds to develop or expand Centers of Excellence (COE) to
conduct housing and community development research. Thus far North
Carolina A&T (NCAT) and Texas Southern U (TSU) have received
grants. Hopefully other HBCUs will likewise benefit from this program
option.
4.
Secretary Fudge is likewise focusing on decent accommodations for
Seniors and those with disabilities. Many facilities have ongoing
patterns of massive deferred maintenance - including non functioning
elevators, obsolete kitchen appliances, plumbing and other essential
utilities not functioning; power outtages and power surges have become a
safety issue. However, under Secretary Fudge, HUD inspectors have now
hit the streets doing onsite, in depth inspections, with clipboards,
cameras, measuring tape in hand. It appears that there is a new game in
town, and it's not allowing for any bending of the rules, or delay of
game. Hundreds of HUD funded/managed buildings are now being taken over
by HUD, and, in conjunction with the local and regional offices, are
being upgraded, renovated, taken away from neglectful wannabe slumlords,
and moved into more capable, responsible hands.
A question about affordable housing - especially Section 8 - was raised, stating Section 8 properties tend to have dangerous dwellings, unsanitary conditions, homicides;
government inactivity, lack of affordability - there are houses that
are funded by HUD - are you concerned about it.
MLFudge:
"Let me tell you something. I do not believe people should live in
unclean, unsafe, unhealthy places. I know that for decades this has
come about because they were neglected, because this country does not
believe in talking about poor people, or low income, etc - We have
requested - year after year - huge increases for public housing. I know
section 8 is not the same, because Section 8 requires that we deal with
individual private owners. If we are aware of it, we can change it.
Because we don't have to give vouchers for people to live in those
facilities. I know we have a shortage, and most of the people who live
in there don't want to move because they don't know where they're going
to go next. But we're certainly willing to help - and we have in
Atlanta - where we shut down an entire housing complex not long after I
go here. It was dangerous. We moved every single person out. And we
will continue to do it. I don't leave people in substandard housing.
So if you want to share with me whose these people are, just let me
know."
5. Secretary Fudge
is laser focusing on racial disparities in real estate valuations (i.e.
real estate appraisers) which have had direct impact on the value of
the properties. Biases in real estate appraisal practices have become
even more egregious. Appraisers have been co-opted by certain
unscrupulous property owners who use over-inflated valuations to borrow
money against the property - where the loan to value is calculated in
such a way that they get the full amount, instead of the 75 to 80% most
commercial lending institutions allow.
In 2021 the Biden-Harris Administration formed the PAVE Task Force, a first-of-its-kind interagency initiative, co-chaired by Secretary Fudge and Director of the Domestic Policy Council Susan Rice, to combat outdated and unacceptable racial bias in the housing market. Bias in home valuations limits the ability of Black and brown families to enjoy the financial returns associated with homeownership, thereby contributing to the already staggering racial wealth gap. For decades, bias in home valuations has limited the ability of Black and brown families to fully benefit from enjoying the financial returns of homeownership. The Task Force released the PAVE Action Plan, the most wide-ranging set of commitments ever announced to advance equity in the home appraisal process. Empowered consumers to act. Consumers who seek financing of a home are often unaware of their options when they receive a valuation that is lower than expected. In January 2023, HUD began the process to allow borrowers applying for FHA-insured loans to request a Reconsideration of Value (ROV) on a property if the initial valuation is lower because of suspected illegal bias. Log onto pave.hud.gov/gethelp.
On
the flip side, Black owned properties in pristine condition still
receive low valuations, even though their property is actually superior
to their white counterparts. It's become more and more prevalent in
recent years. Not only does the Black property owner end up getting
substantially less than what the property's worth, but, once the
property changes hand, that same caucasoid buyer can get another
appraisal that will actually give that same property the full valuation,
with the white buyer being able to refinance the property at the higher
rate. Secretary Fudge has witnessed this particular practice first
hand in her own community in Ohio. Conversely T-rump Tower was
allegedly substantially over valued so that more funds could be
realized.
Adjoa Asamoah: "The Federal Financing Housing
Agency has done something that has never been done before PAVE TASK
FORCE WAS CREATED - industry pushed back heavily to suggest that
appraisal bias was not real because they couldn't see the data. And
FHFA officials in October released, for the first time ever, publicly
available the data that showed, in thousands of appraisal files, in free
form texts that contributed to appraisals - making comments regarding
the communities of color, and using race and other demographic
characteristics to describe properties, which contributed to the
devaluation of properties in those areas. 
Lastly, the efforts to diversify the appraisal industry have been made in tandem and in partnership with thr 13 federal
agencies to ensure that access to the industry is made available to
people and women of color. Numbers that you might have heard, and may
heard that are not the percentage of white male dominated appraisal
organizations is 97% male, white dominated. We have a partner that we
work with that, Ayanko, and she opens up by saying that she represents
zero point seven zero percent of the appraisal industry. She's an
African American woman. And so we're razor sharp, as you mentioned,
focused on moving the needle in this industry in doing the work for
Madame Secretary - thank you!
[NB:
I must go on record, as a real estate appraiser (1982/IFA &
USPAP-NY/2012), and state the Appraisal Institute tries to hold its
appraisers to the highest standards possible. However, over the past
three decades, with the relaxing of the standards in the real estate
industry, corruption has also crept into many appraisals. Generally
speaking, the Appraisal Institute is extremely rigid and diligent in
this matter. An appraisal is not a guess; it's a science, and
valuations are based on several specific mathematical and functional
qualities - that are supposed to be assessed equally regardless of who
owns the property. Any such biases should automatically nullify the
appraisal. Additionally the Appraisal Institute utilizes Review
Appraisers to ensure the accuracy of the valuation in complex
situations.
The
problem with the appraisal industry is that it's 86% caucasoid - which
leaves very little opportunity for diversity. Secretary Fudge is
exploring options to make it possible for more Black people and people
of color to become licensed real estate appraisers. The concept of
having more Black appraisers is important. HUD is exploring the
possibility of assisting in the training and education of African
Americans in the field. However, overcoming the hurdle of mastering the
mathematical and analytical requirements are extremely important
components, and can't be taken lightly. More than measurements of rooms
or grounds, or comparing amenities, calculating the return on
investment, capitalization is also essential - even if the appraiser is
only going to handle one to four family residences. To ensure they are
fully trained, perhaps HUD will offer to pay for the mandatory two-year
apprenticeship which must be completed in order to become a fully
licensed appraiser. The fact that they are looking into these issues
will mean a great deal in the future of homeownership. It would also do
well for homebuyers to learn what to look for when purchasing a home.) GDW/EBN
Demetria L. McCain Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity: As you know the Fair Housing Office is busy. Busy
dealing with
issues of housing zoning discrimination. That's an ongoing fight -
ongoing battle. We're trying to promote equal housing opportunity. And
we're also trying to promote - to make sure that we advance the
diverse, inclusive communities. So, while we're doing all of this,
we've got our current work; we have our whisper work. We have to work
to support our programs. Many people don't realize that, while we know
of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., fighting for public accommodations,
voting rights - it was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who helped bring about
the fair housing rights of 1968. But we've all forgotten that it was
the 7 days after the assassination of Dr. King that it was written into
law.
Our
task force continues to take and look into the complaints about
discrimination. Since this work is now starting, we have taken over 120
Appraisal cases and we are trying to investigate. That goes along with
all of the other fair housing complaints that we receive. We've got 10
regions across the country. That work continues. One way to cutback
the ability of fair housing to be afforded is to cut them by taking away
the legs they are moving on.
Melody Taylor firmly and fully believes that the equity in appraisal task force is not
just about some race. A year ago, the Biden/Harris Adminstration to
advance commercial equity and establish a way to get the task force on
the value and inequality in appraisal equity - Chaired by Madame
Secretary and Susan Rice - The PAVE Action Plan represents the most wide
ranging set of actions ever announced. RE Appraisal was the most
loosely regulated industry, that over time has contributed to the wealth
gap suffered by people and communities of color.
 |
| Melody Taylor |
In just 12
months - we've actually just celebrated our anniversary on March 23. In
just the 12 months the PAVE Task Force has made critical progress when
we implemented the action plan focusing on several key dates; making the
industry more accountable so that the notion that we're increasing
governance; empowering and educating consumers to take action. We've
trained over 1500 housing counselors to partner with our office of
Housing counseling; We've also worked in tandem with our partner NFEO's
appraisal subcommittee to initiate new grants and keep the community
informed and engagd over the course of - in states like Mississippi -
who have zero appraisers in certain communities, to pilot programs.
increasing data transparency by leveraging federal data to give more
policy and improvement and enforcement.
Some
of the biggest concerns in most Black communities are redlining,
gentrification and being priced out of their neighborhood. An issue
with which Secretary Fudge is quite familiar and quite concerned:
In responding to the query, one of the HUD operatives stated: "DOJ and FHA have been cracking down on lending
differences. There have been a few prosecutions. Just wanted to can
we expect more. Also, what are the particular areas of focus.
Secretary Fudge: Let me be real clear. Redlining does still exist - we haven't completely turned
it around. What we have done is we have recognized and clearly stated that we
have three major problems. We talk about gentrification, but a lot of
that is based upon local ordinances. Why would you let someone come in
and buy 100 houses in your community and then they flip them? We (HUD) don't
have anything to do with that. Last year 90% of the homes sold were
sold to flippers - not flippers - private corporations. And so they
come into communities like mine - i live in an all Black community.
They buy the house next door. They raise the price so high that people
like me can't afford to buy it. But a couple of things we do, we are
starting to go back - we're doing a pilot now - about low down loans.
Part of the problem in Black communities is that banks will not lend
them money to buy a house that was less than $100,000 so they can make
money - so what do they do? They let people who have cash come in and
buy those homes. So we're going to pilot a program that will allow for
loans under $100,000, and I can buy the house next door to me if I want
to. Or my niece or nephew can buy that house, so that we can keep those
houses within those communities. The second thing is that we're
shining a light on what's really happening. It's saying to communities -
cities particularly - you have to make some adjustment in how you are
allowing this to happen in your own communities. And I talk to mayors
almost every day. I've spoken to three groups of mayors this week.
There's something very wrong in this country. It has zoning that has
kept us from building many new homes. Because as many of my liberal
friends as I have, they don't want them in their backyards. So we have
to find ways to create an environment in which we can build new
housing and opportunity zones - where we can bring people who can live
and have better schools. But most of us want to preserve our
communities. We have to preserve the housing stock we already have too,
and force them to upgrade the houses; make them more energy efficient
and fix their roofs, their plumbing and electricity. Because my senior
citizens don't know how to do it. And so people come in and take
advantage of them. then take their homes.
When
queried about handling tenants who deliberately trash the HUD
owned properties making it difficult or unpleasant for residents, management,
neighbors, and the community at large to enjoy a decent quality of life,
Secretary Fudge responded: "Some of the things we are doing is The Tenants Bill of Rights which came out not too long ago; and there's a lot included in there which can make a difference.
We will be looking into whether Section 8 voucher holders can buy their units. I am aware that they
are not part of the public housing part of HUD, I am aware of the FSS
program which still exists, which is helping create self sufficiency- I
mean that's kind of what you're going towards -- that self sufficiency.
So there is the self sfficiency portion of section 8 that we're have
disussions about - Some of my colleagues of PIH are - it allows people
to save up the money so that they actually can buy a home. I think they
call it the Rentie - but the FFS program helps them gain more self
sufficiency for section 8 voucher holders. They can move to another
level as far as section 8 policies are concerned.
Now
some of the issues that you are talking about that are going on in the
city itself and are not generated by HUD. 
Wow! I just want to remind the people about the power and the potential of the Fair Housing requirement because some of the things that you brought up are very local based, or the city would have more control over what could be done on a local level. So lets always look at the question as far as what the city is getting out of it. Are they making decisions and policies that affirmatively further fair housing. What are they doing with the money, and what kind of houses are managed - because I would definitely recommend to you to take a look at our website
Wow! I just want to remind the people about the power and the potential of the Fair Housing requirement because some of the things that you brought up are very local based, or the city would have more control over what could be done on a local level. So lets always look at the question as far as what the city is getting out of it. Are they making decisions and policies that affirmatively further fair housing. What are they doing with the money, and what kind of houses are managed - because I would definitely recommend to you to take a look at our website
On January 19, 2023, the Department announced the imminent publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking entitled “Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing.” The proposed rule faithfully implements the promise of the Fair Housing Act’s mandate to affirmatively further fair housing (AFFH), an obligation that requires recipients of HUD funds to take meaningful actions to overcome patterns of segregation, promote fair housing choice, and foster inclusive communities free from barriers. AFFH can be an effective tool in redressing our nation’s history of discrimination against Black communities. This proposed rule would help HUD, 3,747 public housing authorities, and 1,200 state and local government grantees in the CDBG, HOME, and HOPWA programs fulfill their AFFH obligations under the Fair Housing Act.
Economic Opportunity
Housing opportunity is inextricably tied to economic opportunity. HUD’s Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) works to prevent discriminatory housing practices and policies against protected classes, including race, through the enforcement of the Fair Housing Act. In working to prevent housing discrimination affecting Black Americans, FHEO supports economic opportunities for Black Americans, as well. Some examples of FHEO’s fair housing enforcement that helps Black Americans in this regard include combatting discrimination in appraisals, mortgage applications, and rentals.
- In its role as enforcer of the Fair Housing Act, FHEO investigates instances of race discrimination in gentrifying predominantly Black or Brown neighborhoods. FHEO also monitors HUD programs that are targeting investment to improve these communities to reduce the possibility of displacement of Black families.
In Summary:
This
is the opportunity of a lifetime - and it's one that YOU must educate
yourself for and take action - individually and collectively -
whether YOU're a married couple, a family, a single man or woman, even a
group who want to co-buy a property, or a housing/management organization - This is your golden moment!
Never has so much been done to ensure YOU either own your
own home, or live in a decent affordable home, with all the rights
pertaining thereto. Please don't get Stuck on Stupid and look the gift
horse in the mouth, wait to see what your friends are going to do; or social media, or meanstream media are going to do. I've given you a great deal of preliminary detail; but YOU still have to do your own DUE DILIGENCE - follow up, and make it happen. Congratulations for voting intelligently and putting people in key positions to make sure you get all the good you deserve!
President Biden, Vice President Harris, Secretary Fudge, and the entire administration have been working hard to make it happen.
But YOU have to take it the rest of the way
NO
ONE CAN DO YOUR DOING FOR YOU.
HUD IS HERE TO HELP YOU
BUT YOU HAVE TO SEIZE THE DAY AND THE TIME
-
NOW THAT YOU KNOW
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
Stay Blessed &
ECLECTICALLY BLACK
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