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Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing <br />The Fair Housing Act requires that recipients of federal housing funding must do more than <br />simply not discriminate; they must administer their programs so as to affirmatively further <br />fair housing (AFFH).27 The FHA does not define "affirmatively furthering;" courts have <br />subsequently held that it means administering programs and making funding decisions to <br />reduce segregation and promote integration. HUD has adopted AFFH regulations so as to <br />require recipients of federal housing funds to engage in fair housing planning, by <br />identifying impediments to fair housing and actions to overcome those impediments. The <br />Twin Cities Regional Analysis of Impediments in 2014 and the RAI Addendum in 2017 was <br />an example of the planning efforts required by HUD. <br />In their final rule outlining the <br />affirmatively furthering fair housing <br />mandate, HUD stated, "To develop a <br />successful affirmatively furthering fair <br />housing strategy, it is central to assess the <br />elements and factors that cause, increase, <br />contribute to, maintain, or perpetuate <br />segregation, racially or ethnically <br />concentrated areas of poverty, significant <br />disparities in access to opportunity, and disproportionate housing <br />r 0 <br />CULTURE <br />ETHNICITY • <br />L ® NATI� <br />J <br />BELIEF _..4DIVY <br />TRADITIL,' <br />ItP.t PEOPLE <br />needs." 28 <br />What this means is that cities need to complete the required analysis of impediments to fair <br />housing (AI), consider the recommendations and outline clear action steps, with timelines, <br />that state how the city will address the identified barriers. It also means that it has to use <br />the information gleaned from the AI to inform decisions and actions throughout the city, <br />27 42 U.S.C. 3608 <br />28 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Final Rule, page 42355. <br />38 <br />