The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that its Office for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity has started an investigation into the City of Boston’s housing policies related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). HUD stated that it believes these practices may violate civil rights protections under the Fair Housing Act and Title VI.
“We believe the City of Boston has engaged in a social engineering project that intentionally advances discriminatory housing policies driven by an ideological commitment to DEI rather than merit or need,” said HUD Secretary Scott Turner. “HUD is committed to protecting every American’s civil rights and will thoroughly investigate the City’s stated goal of ‘integrating racial equity into every layer of city government.’ This warped mentality will be fully exposed, and Boston will come into full compliance with federal anti-discrimination law.”
HUD's action follows a letter sent to Boston’s Mayor’s Office of Housing. The letter informed city officials that HUD suspects Boston may be using federal grant funds in ways that do not comply with legal requirements prohibiting race-based preferences.
Among the practices cited by HUD are targeted homebuyer outreach efforts described in the city’s Fair Housing Assessment. According to HUD, this assessment directs agencies such as the Mayor’s Office of Housing, Planning Department, and Boston Housing Authority to focus on Black and Latinx families and collect racial data for evaluation through a racial equity lens.
Additionally, HUD pointed to quotas set out in the “Boston Housing Strategy 2025,” which aims for at least 65% of home buying opportunities through city initiatives to go to Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) households. The policy specifies that financial assistance is prioritized for BIPOC residents rather than all low-income individuals.
A copy of HUD's letter notifying Boston about the investigation is available online.
