Justice Launching Forum on Accessibility Compliance
The U.S. Department of Justice is launching a new forum to bring together builders, architects, disability advocates, representatives from its Civil Rights Division and other housing professionals to develop cooperative approaches to promoting compliance with Fair Housing accessibility requirements. While its plans are not yet fully finalized, the department has slated the first of these “Multifamily Housing Access Forums” for May. The department says that it is launching the forum largely because it has found that the builders and architects who are sued for Fair Housing accessibility violations believe that they are in compliance or are not fully aware of the law’s requirements. In defending multifamily builders, NAHB has long argued with the Department of Justice that the law has been poorly promulgated and there has been inadequate guidance on how to comply. The department now seems to be recognizing that fact. While significant progress has been made by NAHB and others — such as securing the approval of the International Building Code as a safe harbor for compliance — the industry welcomes prospects that the Department of Justice will be stepping up its role to promote compliance through education rather than lawsuits. In discussing the forum with the Civil Rights Division, NAHB expressed satisfaction that the department is now formally recognizing the very real obstacles to compliance and the association will be urging the department to give those factors greater weight in adjudicating their suits against builders. NAHB will also be using the forums to rekindle discussions with the department to address how it will resolve cases where it has decided to take enforcement action. | 
