HUD launches civil rights investigation into Boston’s DEI housing policies over alleged racial discrimination

By Fox News · Fox News

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced Thursday an investigation into the city of Boston, Massachusetts, alleging its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) housing practices violate federal anti-discrimination laws. HUD said it has evidence Boston used federal grant assistance for "race-based preferences," in violation of the Fair Housing Act and Title VI, describing the initiatives as a "social engineering project." "We believe the City of Boston has engaged in a social engineering project that intentionally advances discriminatory housing policies driven by an ideological commitment to DEI rather than merit or need," HUD Secretary Scott Turner said in a statement. "HUD is committed to protecting every American’s civil rights and will thoroughly investigate the City’s stated goal of ‘integrating racial equity into every layer of city government.’" Turner added that "this warped mentality will be fully exposed, and Boston will come into full compliance with federal anti-discrimination law." RUBIO ORDERS RESTITUTION FOR HUNDREDS OF STAFFERS DENIED PROMOTIONS UNDER BIDEN DEI RULE The investigation came after HUD sent a letter to the Mayor’s Office of Housing, alerting city officials that it had "reason to believe" Boston was improperly using its federal grant assistance. According to HUD, Boston’s Fair Housing Assessment promises to "target homebuyer outreach" at "Black and Latinx families" and charges city departments with collecting racial and ethnic data "to evaluate their work through a racial equity/social justice lens." Boston’s Housing Strategy 2025 also states that "at least 65%" of homeownership opportunities through city initiatives should go to BIPOC (Black, indigenous, and people of color) households, according to HUD. "The policy is clear," the agency stated. "Financial housing assistance is not just for all low-income persons but instead ‘particularly BIPOC residents.’" JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SUES PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT OVER ALLEGE…