Maryland Housing Days

MD HOUSING DAYS ARE 2/15 & 2/16

Come & Advocate for More Affordable Housing

View the full schedule here.

The Maryland Affordable Housing Coalition (MAHC)'s annual Housing Days are an opportunity to advocate with Maryland legislators for increased funding for affordable housing programs and increases in the budget of the Maryland Department of Housing & Urban Development.

MAHC's this year will advocate for a $250 million budget for the State's Rental Housing Programs budget - $172 million more than the current FY24 Capital Budget. This is the amount of funding needed to clear the pipeline of affordable housing projects in Maryland waiting to be completed. Come to Housing Days to tell legislators why it is critical to fund these programs. 

The days are:

    February 15, 2023 | 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. - Virtual Program.

    February 16, 2023 | Starting at 8:30 a.m. - Legislative Visits in Annapolis.

Speakers include:

•     DHCD Acting Secretary Jake Day.
•     Washington Insider David Gasson.
•     Ben Orr, CEO, Md Center on Economic Policy.
•     and many of MAHC's friends from the Maryland House and Senate.

Learn More & Register*

Maryland Affordable Housing Coalition

1212 York Road, Suite C 300, Lutherville, MD 21093

443-758-6270  /  mdarden@mdahc.org

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Source: Maryland Affordable Housing Coalition newsletter, February 13, 2023.

 Random Acts of Kindness Day is Friday the 17th

Random Acts of Kindness Day - February 17th

National Random Acts of Kindness is celebrated every February 17. It first originated in 1995 in Denver, Colorado and in 2004, spread to New Zealand. The idea behind this celebration is to make the world a little brighter and better through little and simple kind gestures, words and actions. People are encouraged to display unique and kind gestures to those around them.

Unique ways for you to celebrate National Random Acts of Kindness Day

• Leave an anonymous sticky note for your co-workers 
• Compliment a stranger
• Donate some groceries to your local food bank
• Greet a person standing next to you in the elevator 
• Surprise someone with some homemade meals or goodies 
• Take time to thank the people you love
• Reconnect with an old friend
• Donate dog or cat food to the animal shelter
• Run an errand for a busy family member

Preparedness is the gift that keeps on giving and is perfect for treating yourself or a loved one. Watch this video to make sure you are prepared. Click here.

Visit these websites for resources on being prepared - pets too:

• MIA's Insurance Preparedness for Natural Disasters
• Maryland Department of Emergency Management - Disaster Supply Kit
• National Association of Insurance Commissioner's Home Inventory App
• Prepare Your Pets for Disasters
• Ready.gov

On February 17th, share a "random act of kindness" and promote these resources on insurance or preparedness with your loved ones. 

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Sources: Maryland Insurance Administration newsletter, February 13, 2023. https://insurance.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx.

https://www.dcnewsnow.com/news/local-news/maryland/chamber-of-commerce-celebrates-random-acts-of-kindness-week/.

https://lnlchild.com/9-unique-ways-to-spread-kindness-on-national-random-acts-of-kindness-day/#:~:text=National%20Random%20Acts%20of%20Kindness%20is%20celebrated%20every%20February%2017,kind%20gestures%2C%20words%20and%20actions..

 HUD Strengthens Fair Housing Regulations

HUD ANNOUNCES NEW "AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING" RULE

Rule expands upon HUD’s previous policy, implementing opportunities for transparency and accountability while bolstering economic equity for American families

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will soon publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register to fulfill the promise of the 1968 Fair Housing Act. The proposed rule aims to remedy the effects of the long history of housing discrimination and will help to promote opportunity in communities. This proposed rule meets President Biden's call to fully enforce the Fair Housing Act, outlined in Memorandum on Redressing Our Nation's and the Federal Government's History of Discriminatory Housing Practices and Policies.

This proposed rule implements the Fair Housing Act's affirmatively furthering fair housing mandate, which directs the government to promote fair housing choice, eliminate disparities in housing, and foster inclusive communities. This proposed rule streamlines the required fair housing analysis for local communities, states, and public housing agencies and requires them to set ambitious goals to address local fair housing issues.

This proposed rule would spur HUD program participants to take action to help protected classes have equitable access to affordable housing. It is designed to simplify the required fair housing analysis, emphasize goal-setting, increase public review and comment, bolster local commitment to addressing fair housing issues, enhance HUD technical assistance to local communities, and regular program evaluation and greater accountability, among other changes.

Under the proposed rule, program participants every five years would submit to HUD for review and acceptance an Equity Plan that must be developed following strong community engagement, would contain their analysis of local fair housing issues, goals, and strategies to remedy those issues, and a description of community engagement. The proposed rule requires program participants to incorporate goals and strategies from their Equity Plans into their Consolidated Plans, Annual Action Plans, and Public Housing Agency Plans). Both the Equity Plans and the annual progress evaluations would be posted online. The public can file complaints with HUD if program participants are not living up to their AFFH commitments.

HUD seeks public comment on this proposed rule and invites the public to submit their views, comments, and recommendations for improvement. Comments may be submitted electronically through www.regulations.gov, or through the methods described in the proposed rule.

Read HUD's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing.

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Source: Read the HUD January 19, 2023 release.

Free Zoom Event 

"Recognizing and Responding to Everyday Antisemitism and Islamophobia" 

with ICJS Scholars

Speaking: Ben Sax and Matthew D. Taylor and visiting scholar Halla Attallah

Date: February 16, 2023

Time: 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Location: Zoom

Free - Register Now

In this Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies (ICJS) online event, scholars Benjamin Sax and Matthew Taylor, and visiting scholar Halla Attallah, will discuss how we face instances of religious bias and bigotry in our everyday lives that are sometimes subtle and go unnoticed or unconfronted. This session will include case studies with small group discussion and role play that will help participants to recognize and respond to these microaggressions.

The Speakers:

Halla Attallah - is a doctoral candidate at Georgetown University’s theological and religious studies department. Her research focuses on the Qur’an, its narrative content, and the early history of Islam. Attallah served as the Visiting Muslim Scholar at ICJS from 2019-2020. 

Ben Sax - is the Jewish Scholar at ICJS. He is an experienced professor, university administrator, scholar, award-winning teacher, public speaker, and practitioner and facilitator of interreligious dialogue. 

Matthew D. Taylor, Ph.D. - is the Protestant Scholar at ICJS, where he specializes in Muslim-Christian dialogue, Evangelical and Pentecostal movements, religious politics in the U.S., and American Islam. 

Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies

956 Dulaney Valley Rd

Baltimore, Maryland 21204

410.494.7161 | www.icjs.org

info@icjs.org

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Source: ICJS email, February 8, 2023

Black History Month 

DATE or VOL  Join the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights and the City of Bowie Diversity Committee on Saturday February 25, 2023 from 1pm-3pm for a free Black History Month Book Talk with University of Maryland Professor and Bowie Resident Dr. Kris Marsh. Dr. Marsh will be discussing her new book The Love Jones Cohort: Single and Living Alone in the Black Middle Class.  The undercurrent to the book is that singlehood is a civil rights issue. Join us and bring your little ones for a free children's corner featuring arts, crafts and storytelling.   Free Starbucks pastries, coffee and tea will be available for attendees while supplies last. For more information please contact: ngeri.azuewah@maryland.gov. Victim of Discrimination? Training & Partnerships HOME      ABOUT MCCR      SERVICES      PUBLICATIONS      EVENTS      PRESS      CONTACT US

 Appraisal Discrimination

HUD Actions Confront Bias in the Home Appraisal Process for People Seeking FHA Financing

HUD is creating a process that people seeking FHA financing can use to request a review of their appraisal if they believe the results may have been skewed by racial bias. For example, a homeowner who is in the process of refinancing their home with an FHA-insured mortgage can take steps to ensure that their appraisal is fair.

The proposed change indicates what lenders must follow when a borrower requests a Reconsideration of Value (ROV) review if concerns arise around unlawful discrimination in residential property valuations. Under the Reconsideration of Valuation proposal, lenders are given guidance regarding how to review requests from borrowers for a reconsider of value for the appraisal conducted in conjunction with their application for FHA-insured mortgage financing. It also provides guidance for obtaining a second appraisal when material deficiencies are documented, and the appraiser is unwilling to resolve them. Material deficiencies include when a Fair Housing violation has occurred, or bias has been identified on a property valuation report.

FHA is committed to eliminating bias in residential valuations and is taking multiple actions to enhance information, process, and documentation requirements related to this important issue. FHA is asking for stakeholder feedback to identify barriers and impediments that the draft ROV process may impose on the lending process. Any interested party is welcome to provide input. Stakeholders are encouraged to provide feedback on the Draft ML by emailing the Feedback Response Worksheet located in the Drafting Table to the FHA at sffeedback@hud.gov. The feedback period is open from January 3, 2023, to February 2, 2023.

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Source: Read the January 12, 2023 HUD release.

A federally-commissioned report from the National Fair Housing Alliance identifies recommendations to address racial discrimination in home appraisals.

Educational Webinar

HUD Appraisal Bias Webinar Series for Housing Counselors

HUD is developing a process for borrowers seeking Federal Housing Administration (FHA) financing to request an appraisal review when they suspect racial bias. The National Fair Housing Training Academy has an upcoming three-part series titled Combating Appraisal Bias Series: Identify, Empower, and Collaborate.

HUD’s Office of Housing Counseling (OHC) and the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) are working together to combat appraisal bias. The work of the Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE) task force includes developing strategies and action plan steps that housing counselors can adopt to best serve their clients. The PAVE Task Force was directed to evaluate the causes, extent, and consequences of appraisal bias and to recommend actions to reduce racial and ethnic bias in home valuations.

There will be three educational webinar sessions. The first session will feature an engaging roundtable format where consumers and HCAs share their experiences from two different markets in the country. The second and third sessions will discuss the work of the PAVE Task Force, the PAVE Action Plan, and highlight tools, strategies, and next steps for HCAs.

HCA participants will learn: (1) How to raise awareness of appraisal bias and how appraisal bias can be identified; (2) How appraisal bias impacts consumers; (3) How to assist consumers who may have been subjected to biased appraisals; (4) What commitments federal agencies have made to root out appraisal bias; and (5) How to share strategies and available resources which can support housing counselors and empower their clients.

Appraisal Bias and the Generational Wealth Gap Roundtable - Racial bias in the home appraisal process, what consumers need to know, and solutions to combat it. January 31, 2023 1:00 - 2:30 PM. Register Now.

What Housing Counselors Need to Know - Strategies in the PAVE Action Plan to combat bias and current available resources to support impacted individuals. February 22, 2023 2:00 - 3:30 PM . Register Now.

Housing Counseling and FHEO Agencies Combining Forces to Combat Appraisal Bias - Practical steps housing counseling agencies, FHIPs, and FHAPs can take to combat appraisal bias and protections under the Fair Housing and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. March 15, 2023 2:00 - 4:00 PM .

Consumer Story: Black Family Sees Home Value Increase $500K After Erasing Themselves from Appraisal.

Consumer Story: Couple's Home Value Rose nearly $300K After it was Shown by White Colleague.

A federally-commissioned report from the National Fair Housing Alliance identifies recommendations to address racial discrimination in home appraisals.

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Sources

https://www.hudexchange.info/news/combating-appraisal-bias-series-identify-empower-and-collaborate/?utm_source=HUD+Exchange+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=1d598484f8-NFHTA-PAVE+1%2F31%2F23+Webinar&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f32b935a5f-1d598484f8-19808276.

https://pave.hud.gov/actionplan.

https://www.housingwire.com/category/valuations/.