News
Could de Blasio's Housing Plan Violate The Civil Rights Act?
April 27, 2015
HUD is reviewing Mayor de Blasio’s affordable housing plans to see whether they may violate the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which says developments can’t get federal funds if they discriminate based on race or national origin. A provision in de Blasio’s plan called "community preference" allocates up to half of new development’s lottery-based openings for below-market units to neighborhood residents. The main issue is whether this would tip a development’s racial or ethnic makeup significantly away from the city’s overall demographic mix. It’s been argued by some housing advocates that the community preference provision will end up reinforcing segregation. [TRD]
