Pending changes to disparate-impact liability enforcement will have a big effect on some industries, such as indirect auto finance, but the mortgage industry will likely be spared.

A HUD official warned that he would unleash an “investigative storm” on fair housing advocates who violate the Fair Housing Act.

The attorneys general said the guidance threatens to cut complaint referrals and funding to state and local fair housing agencies that provide protections that go beyond the federal Fair Housing Act.

Consumer advocates called on HUD to withdraw the proposal, noting that if finalized, it would undermine the agency’s enforcement of the Fair Housing Act’s protections against unlawful discrimination.

Overall, fair housing complaints increased in 2024, though complaints tied to real estate sales and mortgage lending declined.

A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking planned layoffs at federal agencies, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.

The whistleblowers raised concerns about the administration’s efforts to limit HUD’s ability to enforce fair housing and civil rights laws.

A district court ordered HUD to develop a plan to disburse Fair Housing Initiatives Program grants before the funding lapses on Sept. 30.

The CFPB has 30 days to amend its complaint against Loan Originator Services as part of a fair lending lawsuit filed against a Texas-based developer and lender, Colony Ridge.