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Friday, June 14, 2024
Maryland Cannabis Symposium is on July 25th
Saturday, June 8, 2024
Dr. Michael Eric Dyson to Speak at MCCR's August 24th Fair Housing Gala
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Friday, May 24, 2024
Zillow’s New Free AI tool aims to Promote Equality in Housing
The open-source tool, which is available for free, addresses bias in large language models. Zillow's open-source tool, the Fair Housing Classifier, is part of the company’s efforts to “promote responsible and unbiased behavior in real estate conversations powered by large language model (LLM) technology.“ Zillow explained that artificial intelligence (AI) tools often fail to account for the myriad requirements of fair housing laws. These tools, when deployed, “can perpetuate bias and undermine the progress achieved in advocating for fair housing.“
The Fair Housing Classifier (FHC) is designed to act as a protective measure against steering, or the act of influencing a person’s choice of home based upon protected characteristics. The Fair Housing Act of 1968, as amended, prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, gender, disability, familial status or national origin. The FHC is equipped to detect questions “that could lead to discriminatory responses about legally protected groups in real estate experiences, such as search or chatbots.“ The AI technology can identify cases of noncompliance with equal housing laws when it is given a question or answer. System developers have the ability to intervene in these cases.
In a recent survey of over 12,000 Americans, Zillow found that 57% reported some type of housing discrimination during their life. This was 79% for LGBTQ+ respondents, 69% for Blacks, and 64% for Hispanics and Latinos.
“In today’s rapidly evolving AI landscape, promoting safe, secure and trustworthy AI practices in housing and lending is becoming increasingly important to protect consumers against algorithmic harms,“ Michael Akinwumi, chief responsible AI officer for the National Fair Housing Alliance, said in a statement. “Zillow’s open-source approach sets an admirable precedent for responsible innovation. We encourage other organizations and coalition groups to actively participate, test, and enhance the model and share their findings with the public.”
Companies and individuals that want to use the Fair Housing Classifier can access its code and comprehensive framework on its page on GitHub. Anyone wanting to provide feedback and/or improve the tool can connect with the email alias on the GitHub page.
Court Finds City of Anaheim Violated the FHA when It Blocked Permits for a Transitional Housing Development.
The ruling rebuked the City of Anaheim, California for imposing different standards on a local nonprofit, Grandma's House of Hope, aimed at providing transitional housing for women with mental health disabilities who recently experienced homelessness, an act labeled by the court as discriminatory. Despite the city's insistence on a conditional use permit (CUP) for the nonprofit to house 16 women, the court sided with the state and the nonprofit in a decision that signaled an end to tolerating such exclusions
The California Department of Housing and Community Development brought the case in 2022, after Anaheim officials rejected an application from local service provider Grandma’s House of Hope to open a new 16-unit facility for homeless women suffering from abuse and mental health issues. Although the city’s staff experts had recommended the permits be approved, city planning commission members voted the proposal down following a public meeting where people from the surrounding neighborhood railed against Grandma’s House. This February, a court found in favor of Grandma’s House. The Orange County Superior Court’s decision to overrule Anaheim’s denial and allow Grandma’s House of Hope is celebrated as a significant victory for fair housing in California, signaling that discriminatory practices and NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) attitudes will not be tolerated. Governor Gavin Newsom emphasized the importance of transitional homes in addressing homelessness and appropriately warned that communities refusing to allow housing for all Californians will face consequences.
Its original plan was to host up to 21 women at an 8-bedroom house in a single-family neighborhood on West Street near Anaheim's downtown. They would receive therapy and other services from seven House of Hope staff members, several of whom would be on-call 24/7 to respond to emergencies. The plan would be to move these women into permanent housing within 18 months.
The next steps in the legal process are now anticipated, as discussions venture toward potential remedies beyond the court's order.
Read the February 3, 2024 Hoodline article.
Thursday, May 23, 2024
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Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Harvard Rental Study Finds 50% of Renters Have Housing Affordability Problems
A 2024 report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) of Harvard University reveals that although the rental market is cooling, evictions and homelessness are rising. The rental housing affordability crisis has deepened across all income groups and now affects half of all U.S. renters.
It was found that:
(1) Rental costs have stabilized following historic increases in 2021 and 2022. As of 2023's third quarter, rental growth slowed to rates of less than 1%, down from 15% in early 2022. Although these reduced growth rates have offered relief for some households, asking rents still exceed pre-pandemic levels. The report finds that 50% of all renters are now cost burdened, paying more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities.
(2) The supply of lower-cost units has diminished; over 2.1 million units renting for less than $600 per month have been lost since 2012. From 2012-2022, higher construction costs and increased demand from high-income renters resulted in an increase of 8.4 million units renting for more than $1,400, which is unaffordable for most renters.
(3) As of January 2023, more than 653,000 people were experiencing homelessness, which was the highest number on record.
(4) Although multifamily housing construction increased during the pandemic, it began to slow in late 2023. In October 2023, new multifamily housing starts were down by 30% from 2022, and the reduced starts could have lasting effects on the current shortage of multifamily housing.
(5) Property insurance premiums have skyrocketed by 30 or 40% in some areas, which can limit the number of affordable units a property owner can provide. In some cases, borrowers opt for reduced coverage to bring down their insurance costs, but this strategy can place properties in an insecure position if a natural disaster occurs. In addition, these increased insurance costs also can lead property owners to compensate by cutting back on maintenance and necessary upgrades.
(6) The report indicates that the country's rental housing stock is aging, with a median age of 44 years in 2021 compared to 34 years in 2001. This aging housing stock requires substantial upgrades in habitability, energy efficiency, and accessibility standards, and it also faces a heightened risk of damage from climate change and extreme weather events.
HUD and Rocket Mortgage, LLC Reach Agreement on Montana Fair Lending Complaint for Home Purchase within Tribal Lands
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)'s Conciliation Agreement with Rocket Mortgage, LLC resolves allegations that Rocket Mortgage denied a mortgage loan application based on race because the home being purchased was located within the Tribal boundaries of a federally recognized reservation. Read the Agreement.
The case originated when a complaint was filed by a couple applying for a mortgage to purchase a single-family home within the boundaries of the Flathead Indian Reservation in St. Ignatius, Montana. Rocket Mortgage denied the loan application. As a result, complainants allege they were forced to pay a higher interest rate and accept a loan from another lender on less-favorable terms. The agreement resolves the complaint with Rocket Mortgage.
The agreement secures $65,000 compensation to complainants, requires Rocket Mortgage to provide fair lending training to its employees, and requires Rocket Mortgage to abide by fair lending requirements for applicants seeking residential mortgage credit located within the boundaries of a Native American reservation. Additionally, Rocket Mortgage will invest at least $30,000 to provide financial support for programs that improve housing conditions, consumer financial literacy and education, outreach and homeownership education or counseling for Native Americans. Rocket Mortgage also agreed to conduct outreach through its website and social media platforms describing the company’s broad range of financing options available to eligible applicants whose loans are secured by property located within the boundaries of Native American reservations.
People who believe they have experienced discrimination may file a complaint by contacting HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at (800) 669-9777 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (Relay).
Housing discrimination complaints may also be filed at hud.gov/fairhousing.
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