APARTMENT ADVOCATE
NATIONAL APARTMENT ASSOCIATION
Industry Win : HUD Withdraws Criminal Screening Rule
Industry Advocacy Delivers Key Win .
By Joe Riter
Thanks to the industry ’ s strong advocacy against the U . S . Department of Housing and Urban Development ’ s ( HUD ) proposed criminal screening requirements for HUD-assisted housing , the Department has announced its withdrawal of the Reducing Barriers to HUD-assisted Housing rule on January 16 , 2025 .
The proposed rule would have :
• Established a 3-year lookback period for criminal activity that covered housing providers could use as the basis for a housing denial ;
• Further limited allowable mandatory denials under federal law to a 12-month lookback period as part of the definition of “ currently engaged in [ criminal activities ]”.
• Severely narrowed the scope of criminal activity that covered housing providers could evaluate in the screening process ; and
• Elevated the standard of proof for evictions based on criminal activity .
In its initial notice of proposed rulemaking , HUD made some acknowledgement of the challenges that covered housing providers would face complying with these requirements , noting that “[ m ] ost of the changes in the proposed rule would not apply to owners who participate in the Housing Choice Voucher ( HCV ) program or Project Based Voucher ( PBV ) program … in order to avoid discouraging owner participation .”
NAA , alongside our national coalition partners , led the industry ’ s federal advocacy opposing this significant overreach in ongoing conversations with
regulators , our comment letters , and with the help of our valued affiliate partners and members who submitted more than 2,000 individual responses to HUD ’ s request for public comments .
On January 16 , HUD also announced withdrawal of another key fair housing priority of the previous administration , its proposed update to the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule . The industry would have felt indirect impacts if the proposed rule was imposed . It set forth a framework to streamline fair housing evaluations for state and local governments and required them to develop a plan to address perceived fair housing issues with significant community engagement as prerequisite to successful plan development .
While the withdrawal of these proposed rules is welcome news , NAA remains vigilant and will continue its federal regulatory advocacy with the Trump Administration to urge a balanced approach to policymaking .
NAAPAC 2024 YEAR IN REVIEW : NAAPAC Closed 2024 On A Strong Note , Raising $ 1.121 Million From Over 2,100 Dedicated Donors In The Multifamily Industry .
Our incredible suppliers played a pivotal role , contributing a phenomenal $ 528,000 and surpassing their 2024 goal of $ 510,000 ! To our suppliers : your unwavering commitment is the backbone of NAAPAC ' s mission . In addition , 87 Platinum-level donors went above and beyond , showcasing an extraordinary commitment to our mission . Your generosity is essential in shaping a brighter future for all . As part of our fundraising efforts , NAAPAC ’ s Winter Sweepstakes , which concluded on December 31 , raised over $ 16,000 . We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated , with a special shoutout to Cesar Lima , a supplier and member of the Houston Apartment Association , who won the $ 1,000 prize .
Throughout the 2024 election cycle , NAAPAC showed remarkable strength by financially supporting 312 candidates , including 229 on this year ’ s general election ballot . An impressive 217 NAAPACsupported candidates secured victory , resulting in an extraordinary 95 percent win rate . NAAPAC invested $ 2.2 million directly to back our congressional allies and allocated an additional $ 300,000 for independent expenditures to support three key industry champions - Reps . Lori Chavez-DeRemer ( R-Ore . -5 ), Vicente Gonzalez ( D-Texas-34 ), and Don Bacon ( R-Neb . -2 ) - in their fiercely competitive elections .
As we enter the 119th Congress , we are thrilled to see many of our NAAPAC-supported allies returning , including for the first time in recent memory a NAA member and Fort Worth Apartment Association member , Rep . Craig Goldman ( R-Texas-12 ). We still have much to accomplish together and hope you will join our efforts in 2025 to shape a brighter future for the multifamily industry !
If you have any questions , please contact Rob Johnson at rjohnson @ naahq . org www . aamdhq . org 35 | TRENDS FEBRUARY 2025