Minneapolis’ housing plan is facing a fair housing investigation by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the federal government announced on Thursday afternoon.
Specifically, HUD is concerned that aspects of the Minneapolis 2040 plan may violate Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act, according to a press release. The release notes that the plan’s proposal for “cultural districts… where a significant portion of the population is comprised of people of color, Indigenous people, and/or immigrant communities” could be discriminatory. In addition, the Trump administration is raising red flags about the city’s emphasis on “people of color” and “indigenous people” for homeownership programs.
“For example, your Community Planning and Economic Development department will prioritize ‘rental housing for Black, Indigenous, People of Color and Immigrant communities’ by ‘leveraging [its] rental licensing authority,’” Craig Trainor, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, wrote in a letter to Mayor Jacob Frey. “That is not going to fly.”
HUD Secretary Scott Turner noted that Minnesota has been under intense scrutiny for fraud allegations and convictions related to government programs, which led Gov. Tim Walz to opt not to seek a third term this November.
“Minnesota is ground zero for fraud and corruption because they have chosen to ignore the law to serve a cynical political agenda. This undermines our American values, united by a common heritage, language, and commitment to equal treatment under law,” Turner said in a statement, adding that his department “will not stand for illegal racial and ethnic preferences that deny Americans their right to equal protection under the law.”
Trainor said that Minnesotans are being “held captive to the riotous impulses of left-wing cultural arsonists.”
“Its largest city, Minneapolis, has fared no better under its clownish mayor, Jacob Frey, whose government may be engaging in unlawful discrimination by prioritizing Minneapolis residents for housing based on race and national origin rather than need. The Trump Administration will ensure Minneapolis fully complies with the Fair Housing Act,” he stated.
The Daily Wire reached out to the City of Minneapolis, but it was not immediately available for comment. The Trump administration has made efforts to clamp down on federal funding for programs ranging from food stamps to Medicaid unless more accountability measures are enacted. A federal judge halted the food stamp funding pause this week after the state sued, but the case continues, MinnPost reported.
Several individuals are facing federal wire fraud charges for attempting to abuse Minnesota’s Housing Stability Services Program, the DOJ announced in September.
