A recent poll indicates a majority of Americans agree with the Trump administration’s decision to rescind an Obama-era housing rule that aimed to diversify neighborhoods along economic lines.
A poll released Tuesday by Rasmussen Reports found that 73% of likely voters thought the federal government should not play a role in deciding where people can live. 65% of respondents said it is not the government’s job to diversify neighborhoods based on income.
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson announced July 23 that the department would end the Obama administration’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule issued in 2015. (RELATED: White House’s Deregulation Effort Specifically Boosts Black America’s COVID Recovery, Ben Carson Says)
“We found it to be unworkable and ultimately a waste of time for localities to comply with, too often resulting in funds being steered away from communities that need them most,” Carson said.
At the request of many great Americans who live in the Suburbs, and others, I am studying the AFFH housing regulation that is having a devastating impact on these once thriving Suburban areas. Corrupt Joe Biden wants to make them MUCH WORSE. Not fair to homeowners, I may END!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2020
The survey found that a majority of Democrats and Republicans opposed government involvement in neighborhood zoning regulations. 56% of Democrats and 73% of Republicans said it is not the government’s job to diversify neighborhoods. 68% of unaffiliated voters said the same.
A majority of white and minority voters also opposed government involvement in neighborhood zoning regulations. 52% of black respondents and 71% of white respondents said it is not the government’s job to diversify neighborhoods. 53% of non-black minority respondents said the same.
…Your housing prices will go up based on the market, and crime will go down. I have rescinded the Obama-Biden AFFH Rule. Enjoy!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2020
63% of black respondents, however, said their neighborhood’s racial or ethnic make-up was important. 35% of white respondents and 44% of non-black minority respondents said the same. (RELATED: Trump Says He ‘Should Be At 100 Percent’ Approval With Black Voters)
The poll surveyed 1,000 American adults via automated calls between August 2-3. The poll had a margin of error of +/- three percentage points.