HUD probes Boston housing policies for potential federal law violations

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced Thursday an investigation into the city of Boston, Massachusetts, alleging its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) housing practices violate federal anti-discrimination laws.

HUD said it has evidence Boston used federal grant assistance for “race-based preferences,” in violation of the Fair Housing Act and Title VI, describing the initiatives as a “social engineering project.”

“We believe the City of Boston has engaged in a social engineering project that intentionally advances discriminatory housing policies driven by an ideological commitment to DEI rather than merit or need,” HUD Secretary Scott Turner said in a statement. “HUD is committed to protecting every American’s civil rights and will thoroughly investigate the City’s stated goal of ‘integrating racial equity into every layer of city government.’”

Turner added that “this warped mentality will be fully exposed, and Boston will come into full compliance with federal anti-discrimination law.”

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The investigation came after HUD sent a letter to the Mayor’s Office of Housing, alerting city officials that it had “reason to believe” Boston was improperly using its federal grant assistance.

According to HUD, Boston’s Fair Housing Assessment promises to “target homebuyer outreach” at “Black and Latinx families” and charges city departments with collecting racial and ethnic data “to evaluate their work through a racial equity/social justice lens.”

Boston’s Housing Strategy 2025 also states that “at least 65%” of homeownership opportunities through city initiatives should go to BIPOC (Black, indigenous, and people of color) households, according to HUD.

“The policy is clear,” the agency stated. “Financial housing assistance is not just for all low-income persons but instead ‘particularly BIPOC residents.’”

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Turner said Thursday on X that HUD is “Breaking Up Biden’s Boston BIPOC Bash.”

“Boston pushed discriminatory housing policies in the name of DEI,” he wrote. “This warped mentality will be exposed and Boston will come into full compliance with federal law.”

Turner slammed the Biden administration earlier this week, telling Fox News Digital he blamed the former president’s policies for an illegal immigration and refugee crisis that rattled the housing market.

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HUD releases its “Worst Case Housing Needs Report” every two years, which assesses the state of the housing market for low-income Americans and how many lack both affordable and adequate housing.

Turner said there are damning findings in this year’s assessment, which he pinned on former President Joe Biden’s immigration crisis.

“The unchecked illegal immigration and open borders policies allowed by the Biden administration continue to put significant strain on housing, pricing out American families,” Turner said.

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Fox News Digital reached out to the City of Boston for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.