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HUD pulls participation from city fair-housing workshops; city seeks clarification
Summary
City staff said the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has been instructed to stop participating in events it interprets as DEI-related; local fair-housing workshops will continue without HUD participation while the city seeks clarification.
City staff told the Bangor City Council that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has informed local HUD staff they should not participate in events the agency interprets as related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), prompting HUD to withdraw from planned fair-housing workshops.
Courtney Reynolds, filling in for the city manager, said Robyn Cineke had been organizing a series of trainings on reasonable accommodation, fair-housing training and landlord-tenant rights that included planned participation from the local HUD office. "They have actually reached out to her, in light of the president's executive orders and shared, with us that their office has been instructed to stop or cancel any participation in any DEI events. And so they have pulled out from those fair housing events," Reynolds said.
A councilor asked whether that meant HUD would stop enforcing fair-housing rules that stem from the Civil Rights Act of 1968. Reynolds said the city had sought clarification and that, to her knowledge, the agency's withdrawal referred to participation in events rather than enforcement of existing law. "I would really hope that they wouldn't stop enforcing existing law," she said, and added the city would reach out for additional clarification.
Reynolds said the city nd Robyn Cineke will continue the workshops without HUD consultation. "The workshops will still continue . . . HUD will not be participating," she said. Councilors noted the issue may require further definition of what constitutes a DEI event and expected the question to arise at the National League level.
The exchange did not identify a change to local enforcement authority; the city indicated it would proceed with the trainings and seek further information from HUD about whether the withdrawal affects enforcement of federal fair-housing requirements.
The council also heard several administrative reminders, including plans to schedule a tour of the MRC facility in Hampden during the week of Feb. 17 before construction reduces access.
