June 12, 2015
On the FHA/HUD official site, there’s a blog post by HUD Secretary Julian Castro, which announces that June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Month, described by Castro as, “a time to recognize the lasting contributions that these Americans have made to our nation, and to honor the progress thats been achieved in securing equal opportunity for all.”
He adds, “Right now, were in the midst of a period of transformative change. In recent years, barriers that once blocked too many of our fellow Americans from living and loving freely have come tumbling down. In 2013, the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act, helping ensure that all couples are treated fairly under the law. Same-sex couples are now able to get married in 37 states. And earlier this year, President Obamas Executive Order on LGBT Workplace Discrimination went into effect, outlawing federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.”
FHA and HUD official policy was updated several years ago to include anti-discrimination language specifically referencing gender identity, sexual orientation, family status and related issues. The FHA and HUD issued a Mortgagee Letter earlier in 2015 reiterating FHA and HUD official policy, which included the following requirement:
“A determination of eligibility for housing that is assisted by HUD or subject to a mortgage insured by the Federal Housing Administration shall be made in accordance with the eligibility requirements provided for such program by HUD, and such housing shall be made available without regard to actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status”.
That is a very important step forward for society in general, but especially for a government program created specifically to serve those who financially qualify. The Fair Housing act and other anti-discrimination laws are designed to allow all applicants who are financially qualified get the services they deserve regardless of factors not related to those qualifications.
“Weve come a long way in the march for equal rights,” writes Secretary Castro, “and Im proud of the role that HUD has played in this journey.In 2012, we issued a bold new Equal Access Rule to ensure that our core programs are available to all, regardless of who they are or who they love. Earlier this year, we issued new guidance that strengthened and reaffirmed our commitment to this work.”
Joe Wallace has been specializing in military and personal finance topics since 1995. His work has appeared on Air Force Television News, The Pentagon Channel, ABC and a variety of print and online publications. He is a 13-year Air Force veteran and a member of the Air Force Public Affairs Alumni Association. He was Managing editor for www.valoans.com for (8) years and is currently the Associate Editor for FHANewsblog.com.
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