Housing Fairness Act of 2025

This bill aims to stop housing discrimination and make fair housing rules work better in real life. It tells HUD to run nationwide testing to spot differences in how renters, homebuyers, and mortgage borrowers are treated, including by race, sex, family status, disability, religion, color, and national origin. HUD will work with qualified fair housing groups to do this testing, and the results can be used to start investigations and enforcement actions. HUD must also report testing results to Congress and share summaries of complaints it gets by hotline, email, and its website.

The bill increases funding for fair housing work and sets clear guardrails. It boosts the Fair Housing Initiatives Program to $42.5 million each year, with at least 75% for on-the-ground enforcement by private groups and up to 10% for education and outreach; money stays available until used. It authorizes $15 million a year for nationwide testing. It also funds a $5 million-a-year grant program for nonprofits to study discrimination and segregation and try pilot solutions, including studies focused on veterans and military personnel; grantees must provide a 50% match and meet fair housing qualifications or partner with a qualified group. HUD must set minimum training standards for testers within six months of the law taking effect. None of the money can be used for political activity, lobbying, or related travel, or for tax return advice. Congress also urges HUD to fully fund education and outreach and to set fair housing rules for recipients of federal housing funds to help communities further fair housing.

Key points

• Who is affected: renters, homebuyers, and mortgage borrowers; local fair housing groups and nonprofits; communities facing discrimination, including families with children, people with disabilities, and veterans through targeted studies .
• What changes: nationwide testing for discrimination; more money for fair housing enforcement and education; new grants for studies and pilot projects; required tester training standards; regular public reporting; strict limits on political uses of funds .
• When: funding and programs run through fiscal years 2024–2028; tester training standards due within 180 days of enactment.