Applicants for participation in Federal Housing Administration (FHA) programs for the development of Multifamily, Single-Family, or Condominium/Cooperative Housing use these forms to describe the marketing and outreach activities that they will use to attract prospective buyers and renters that are least likely to apply. Owners/managers of FHA-insured Multifamily Housing projects must review these plans every five years (or sooner if there have been significant changes in their housing market area) and update these plans, if needed.
The latest form for Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan expires 2021-01-31 and can be found here.
The federal government is responsible for enforcing fair housing laws, and in some states, the state government protects these laws as well. Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan (AFHMP) is federal and state governments cooperation to promote fair housing. The goal is to reduce segregation and encourage integration in housing by promoting housing choice and opportunities regardless of one’s protected characteristics under federal and state fair housing laws.
What is the Purpose of Affirmative Fair Housing?
The Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan is a document that helps clarify the purpose of your marketing efforts and internal policies. It helps you identify the areas you intend to target with fair housing marketing, to provide an umbrella of fair housing marketing compliance, and to identify the specific goals of your fair housing marketing program.
Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plans (AFHMPs) is a series of programs that help communities identify and target persons whose representation in the housing market makes them less likely to apply for affordable housing opportunities. AFHMPs also aim to make such persons aware of available affordable housing opportunities through a combination of marketing and outreach activities.
Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan includes a ban on steering or exclusions (which includes showing only certain homes to individuals based on protected status or displaying discriminatory ads or statements on rental applications). It also includes a requirement that the marketing plan is made available to the public and notification to the HUD Secretary. The AFHMP must also include training for agents, educational material, and a complaint process. The plan also calls for HUD to require that certain practices are adopted to ensure compliance.
Who has to Complete an AFHMP?
Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan must be completed by landlords and property managers as a condition of receiving Fair Housing Act (FHA) or state-sponsored housing assistance. FHA programs offer funding for fair housing practices to promote integrated communities. However, many landlords and property managers do not know how to complete an Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan, leading to unintentional segregation.
There are few things that tend to make a property more desirable than a good marketing plan, and Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plans are among them. If you are a developer or a sponsor, and you want to send a message that you are committed to fair housing and open to those who may not have it so easy, an AFHMP is a great way to do that.
Final Words
The AFHMP is a proactive, integrated marketing plan designed to ensure compliance with federal and state fair housing laws and preserve the values of the Fair Housing Act and the Fair Housing Initiatives Program. By incorporating these best practices into our plan we can ensure we are promoting housing choice, and creating an inclusive environment that meets the needs of everyone.