HUD Secretary Halts Equal Access Rule Enforcement

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner to halt any pending or future enforcement actions related to HUD’s 2016 rule entitled “Equal Access in Accordance With an Individual’s Gender Identity in Community Planning and Development Programs,” or CPD-administered programs. 

The rule, commonly known as the “Equal Access Rule,” requires all programs and shelters that receive funding from the CPD to grant equal access to its facilities and services in accordance with an individual’s gender identity, and in a manner that affords equal access to the individual’s family.

The 2016 Equal Access Rule was updated from its 2012 iteration that mandates that access to shelter and housing must adhere to an individual’s self expressed gender identity.

However, the HUD media advisory explains that the Equal Access Rule limited the rights and abilities of HUD-funded shelters from challenging an individual’s self-identification, and allowing biological men to enter shelters intended for women impacted by trauma, domestic abuse, and violence.

Secretary Turner, however, is carrying out a new mission for HUD, set forth by President Trump.

The mission is intended to “restore biological truth to the federal government,” he stated, according to HUD’s press release. “This means recognizing there are only two sexes: male and female. It means getting government out of the way of what the Lord established from the beginning when he created man in His own image.”

The federal agencies appear to be conforming to President Trump’s image. Secretary Turner added, “We, at this agency, are carrying out the mission laid out by President Trump on January 20th when he signed an executive order to restore biological truth to the federal government." 

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) effectively shut down after its new acting director, Russel Vought, announced on X that the agency would not be accepting its next draw of funding from the Federal Reserve, because “it is not reasonably necessary to carry out its duties,” he stated in his post.

But the transformation is only the beginning, Secretary Turner added, “This is just the first of many examples of how, starting on day one, HUD is going back to work for the American people and being a good steward of taxpayer dollars. There will be more where this came from.”

The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) released the following statement in response to Scott Turner’s confirmation as Secretary of the U.S. HUD last week.

“HUD’s new secretary must prioritize solutions for everyday people struggling with rising housing costs, a lack of affordable housing supply, increased complaints of housing discrimination, and technology’s growing role in determining housing decisions,” Executive Vice President Nikitra Bailey stated in NFHA’s press release.

Bailey made relevant comments and highlighted the sudden removal of the Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE) Taskforce from the HUD website.

“The agency demonstrated important leadership in finally creating a government-wide approach to address appraisal bias through the Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE) Taskforce," Bailey said. "Appraisal bias is a feature and not a bug of the housing system that must be addressed, and the Fair Housing Act and other civil rights laws must be used to eliminate it."

Yet, HUD has already removed the PAVE Taskforce from its website," Bailey continued, :and HUD’s new secretary has yet to state that he will use the Fair Housing Act to enforce against appraisal bias despite it causing homes in Black neighborhoods in 113 metro areas to be devalued by $162 billion.”