HUD limits timeframe for Fair Housing accessibility complaints

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced new guidance regarding accessibility violation complaints for multifamily housing design and construction under the Fair Housing Act.

The new policy reclassifies these violations as discrete acts rather than continuing violations. It establishes a statute of limitations for administrative complaints, which must now be filed within one year of a building receiving its initial certificate of occupancy.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) stated the change provides clarity and limits liability for property owners not involved in original construction. Conversely, the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) argued the move reduces rights for people with disabilities, noting that disability-related complaints constitute more than half of all housing discrimination cases.