Celebrating Progress & Advancing Housing Equality For All

This April marks the 57th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act (FHA), which prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, color, sex, disability, and familial status.  

What does the FHA do? The FHA directs the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to take proactive actions to overcome segregation, promote fair housing, eliminate disparities, and foster inclusive communities, known as "affirmatively furthering fair housing" (AFFH). AFFH helps HUD grantees integrate housing, health, transportation, education, environmental, and economic development to transform areas of poverty into thriving communities with various amenities. 

The AFFH rule has had a turbulent history. The Fair Housing Act was implemented in 1968 and strengthened by the addition of AFFH under President Obama’s 2015 administration. Since 2015, presidential administrations have repealed, reinstated, or modified the AFFH rule. The 2025 Trump administration's repeal requires jurisdictions only to certify any action taken to promote fair housing, removing the need for detailed analysis and planning. 

Reactions to these changes are mixed. HUD Secretary Scott Turner argues that repealing the AFFH rule reduces bureaucratic burdens and returns decision-making to local leaders. Conservatives say that the AFFH rule represented federal overreach, and its repeal allows local control over zoning without fear of losing federal funds. Liberal advocates argue that repealing the AFFH rule could increase discriminatory practices and economic segregation without federal oversight. 

Local Impacts. California adopted AB 686 in 2018 to secure fair housing at the state and local levels, requiring robust public outreach, assessment of fair housing issues, and identification of goals to promote fair housing. Specifically, AB 686 requires Housing Elements to include an equitable engagement process, assess segregation and inclusion trends, analyze the capability of future housing sites to integrate balanced living patterns, and identify goals that limit or deny fair housing choice or access to opportunity.  

The long-term impact on communities is uncertain. However, M-Group views fair housing efforts as collaborative rather than competing demands and remains committed to serving diverse Bay Area communities. M-Group promotes prolonged community well-being through our Housing Element, Housing Element implementation, and Environmental Justice and Safety Element work.