Disability Rights Florida has submitted a formal comment opposing a new proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The rule, called the 2025 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Interim Final Rule (AFFH IFR), changes how local and state governments must work to improve fair housing access.
We believe this new rule weakens important protections for people with disabilities and undermines efforts to create inclusive, integrated communities.
Access to affordable, accessible housing is already a crisis for many people with disabilities in Florida and across the country. Only 1% of U.S. housing is wheelchair accessible, and people with disabilities are more likely to live in poverty and face discrimination when trying to rent or buy a home. Without strong enforcement of the Fair Housing Act, these barriers will continue to push people with disabilities into unsafe, segregated, or institutional settings.
The Fair Housing Act requires HUD and its partners to take real action—not just avoid discrimination, but actively work to fix housing inequality. The new rule lowers the bar so much that governments could claim they’re meeting the law’s goals just by taking any small action, even if it doesn’t help with accessibility or discrimination. It also removes important oversight and accountability measures.
People with disabilities deserve the same choices and opportunities as everyone else—including the right to live in their own communities, in housing that is safe, affordable, and accessible.
We are calling on HUD to withdraw this rule and replace it with one that truly upholds the law, reflects the lived experiences of people with disabilities, and works toward integrated, inclusive housing for all.