PHOENIX — Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general in challenging a proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that would dismantle longstanding protections aimed at preventing discrimination in the marketing of affordable housing.
The proposed federal change, advanced under the Trump administration, would eliminate Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing (AFHM) regulations—rules that require property owners of federally subsidized housing to ensure their outreach and advertising reaches historically marginalized communities.
“Affordable housing is one of the top concerns for Arizona families,” said Mayes in a statement Thursday. “Rolling back fair housing protections not only makes access more difficult, it goes against everything this administration promised Arizonans. It’s an unjustifiable step backward.”
The AFHM regulations were designed to combat housing segregation by ensuring that federally supported housing is marketed fairly, particularly to communities that may not otherwise be aware of such opportunities. These efforts are rooted in the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, national origin, gender, disability, family status, and other protected categories.
Under the current rules, housing providers must actively promote their properties in ways that reach underserved or underrepresented populations—especially in high-opportunity areas known for better access to jobs, schools, and transportation. The rules do not require landlords to select tenants based on these outreach efforts, nor do they restrict them from using other advertising methods.
Critics of HUD’s proposed rollback say it threatens to undo decades of progress toward integrated, inclusive housing. In a joint letter to HUD, the attorneys general argue that eliminating these regulations without offering a clear replacement, justification, or plan for enforcing anti-discrimination laws is both unlawful and irresponsible.
“Dismantling AFHM without a viable alternative signals an abandonment of the federal government’s obligation to affirmatively further fair housing,” the letter states. “This reversal of more than 50 years of policy would leave the door open for discriminatory marketing practices to quietly persist.”
The letter also cites alarming trends: fair housing complaints have reached record highs in recent years, underscoring the continued importance of proactive protections. Communities of color, particularly Black households, continue to bear the brunt of housing discrimination, driven by a history of systemic racism and exclusionary policies.
Attorney General Mayes joins colleagues from states including California, New York, Maryland, Illinois, Michigan, and Washington in urging HUD to preserve and strengthen federal fair housing rules, rather than dismantle them.
As the national housing crisis continues to deepen, Mayes emphasized that ensuring equitable access to affordable housing should remain a top priority—not just for Arizona, but for the country as a whole.
