The Department of Housing and Urban Development is increasing efforts to end housing segregation across the United States. A new ruling means changes in the way policies are executed in New York City. Previously, laws called for the NYC Department of City Planning to file reports annually to the HUD on its housing integration efforts. With a new ruling intact, the Department of City Planning will now have to discuss policies with both advocacy groups and the specific communities involved, therefore allowing the public to directly communicate with the city government in how the housing policies are executed.
“In a city like New York with a lot of real estate pressure, [the new rules] really give community groups and residents a voice to say, this is what we’re seeing, this is what we’re concerned about,” said Barika Williams, deputy director with the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development, Inc.
A lack of compliance with the ruling could cost the city millions in federal funding for housing.