Executive Order 12259—Leadership and Coordination of Fair Housing in Federal Programs

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution of the United States of America, and in order to provide under the leadership of the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, in accordance with Section 808 of the Act of April 11, 1968, as amended (sometimes referred to as the Federal Fair Housing Act or as Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968), 42 U.S.C. 3608, for the administration of all Federal programs and activities relating to housing and urban development in a manner affirmatively to further fair housing throughout the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows: 1-1. Administration of Programs and Activities Relating to Housing and Urban Development. 1-101. All programs and activities of Executive agencies, including agencies which exercise regulatory responsibility, relating to housing and urban development shall be administered in a manner affirmatively to further fair housing. 1-2. Responsibilities of Executive Agencies. 1-201. The authority and responsibility for administering the Federal Fair Housing Act is vested in the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. 1-202. The head of each Executive agency is responsible for ensuring that its programs and activities relating to housing and urban development are administered in a manner affirmatively to further the goal of fair housing as required by Section 808 of the Act of April 11, 1968, as amended (Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968), and for cooperating with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development who shall be responsible for exercising leadership in furthering the purposes of the Act. As used in this Order, the terms "programs and activities" include programs and activities operated, administered or undertaken by the Federal government; grants; loans; contracts; insurance; guarantees; and Federal supervision or exercise of regulatory responsibility. 1-203. In carrying out the responsibilities in this Order the head of each Executive agency shall take appropriate steps to require that all persons or other entities who are applicants for, or participants in, or who are supervised or regulated under, agency programs and activities relating to housing and urban development comply with this Order. 1-3. Specific Responsibilities. 1-301. In implementing the responsibilities under Section 1-2 the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall: (a) Develop guidelines for determining the categories of programs and activities relating to housing and urban development which are operated, administered, undertaken, controlled or regulated by Executive agencies. (b) Promulgate regulations regarding programs and activities of Executive agencies related to housing and urban development which shall: (1) describe an institutionalized method for analyzing the impact of housing and urban development programs and activities in promoting the goal of fair housing; (2) describe the responsibilities and obligations in assuring that programs and activities are administered and executed in a manner affirmatively to further fair housing; and (3) describe the responsibilities and obligations of applicants, participants and other persons and entities involved in housing and urban development programs and activities affirmatively to further the goal of fair housing. (c) Coordinate Executive agency implementation of the requirements of this Order and issue standards and procedures regarding the administration of programs and activities relating to housing and urban development in a manner affirmatively to further fair housing. 1-302. Upon publication of guidelines by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under Section 1-301(a), each Executive agency shall provide the Secretary with a description of all programs and activities relating to housing and urban development within its jurisdiction. 1-303. Within 180 days of the publication of final regulations by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under Section 1-301(a) the head of each Executive agency shall publish proposed regulations providing for the administration of programs and activities relating to housing and urban development in a manner affirmatively to further fair housing, consistent with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development regulations, and with the standards and procedures issued pursuant to Section 1-301 (c). As soon as practicable, each Executive agency shall issue its final regulations. All Executive agencies shall formally submit all such proposed and final regulations, and any related issuances or standards to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development at least 30 days prior to public announcement. 1-304. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall review regulations, standards and actions under Sections 1-302 and 1-303 to ensure conformity with the purposes of the Federal Fair Housing Act and consistency among the operations of the various Executive agencies and shall make any comments with respect thereto on a timely basis. 1-305. In addition to the regulations and guidelines described in Section 1-301, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall implement the Secretary's authority and responsibility for administering the Federal Fair Housing Act by promulgating regulations describing the nature and scope of coverage and the conduct prohibited. 1-4. Cooperative Efforts. 1-401. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall: (a) Cooperate with, and render assistance to, the heads of all Executive agencies in the formulation of policies and procedures to implement this Order and to provide information and guidance on the affirmative administration of programs and activities relating to housing and urban development and the protection of rights accorded persons by the Federal Fair Housing Act; and (b) initiate cooperative efforts, including the development of memoranda of understanding between Executive agencies designed to provide for consultation and the coordination of Federal efforts to further fair housing through the affirmative administration of programs and activities relating to housing and urban development. 1-402. In connection with carrying out functions under this Order the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development is authorized to request from any Executive agency such information and assistance deemed necessary. Each agency shall, to the extent permitted by law, furnish such information and assistance to the Secretary. 1-5. Administrative Enforcement. 1-501. Each Executive agency shall be responsible for enforcement of this Order and, to the extent permitted by law, shall cooperate and provide records, data and documentation in connection with any other agency's investigation of compliance with provisions of this Order. 1-502. If any Executive agency concludes that any person or entity (including any State or local public agency) applying for or participating in, or supervised or regulated under, a program or activity relating to housing and urban development has not complied with this Order or any applicable rule, regulation or procedure issued or adopted pursuant to this Order, it shall endeavor to end and remedy such violation by informal means, including conference, conciliation and persuasion. An Executive agency need not pursue informal resolution of matters where similar efforts made by another Executive agency have been unsuccessful. In event of failure of such informal means, the Executive agency, in conformity with rules, regulations, procedures or policies issued or adopted by it pursuant to Section 1-3 hereof, shall impose such sanctions as may be authorized by law. To the extent authorized by law, such sanctions may include: (a) cancellation or termination of agreements or contracts with such person, entity, or State or local public agency; (b) refusal to extend any further aid under any program or activity administered by it and affected by this Order until it is satisfied that the affected person, entity, or State or local public agency will comply with the rules, regulations, and procedures issued or adopted pursuant to this Order; (c) refusal to grant supervisory or regulatory approval to such person, entity, or State or local public agency under any program or activity administered by it which is affected by this Order or revoke such approval if previously given; (d) any other action as may be appropriate under its governing laws. 1-503. Findings of any violation under Section 1-502 shall be promptly reported to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall forward this information to all other Executive agencies. 1-504. Any Executive agency shall also consider invoking appropriate sanctions against any person or entity where any other Executive department or agency has initiated action against that person or entity pursuant to Section 1-502 of this Order. 1-505. Each Executive agency shall seek the advice of the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in this regard prior to a decision to initiate actions to invoke sanctions. Each such decision and the reasons therefor, shall be documented and shall be provided to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in a timely manner. 1-6. General Provisions. 1-601. Nothing in this Order shall limit the authority of the Attorney General to provide for the coordinated enforcement of nondiscrimination requirements in Federal assistance programs under Executive Order No. 12250. 1-602. All provisions of regulations, guidelines and procedures proposed to be issued by Executive agencies pursuant to this Order which implement nondiscrimination requirements of laws covered by Executive Order No. 12250 shall be submitted to the Attorney General for review in accordance with that Executive Order. In addition, the Secretary will consult with the Attorney General regarding all regulations, guidelines and procedures proposed to be issued under Sections 1-301, 1-302 and 1-303 of this Order to assure consistency with coordinated Federal efforts to enforce nondiscrimination requirements in programs of Federal financial assistance pursuant to Executive Order No. 12250. 1-603. Nothing in this Order shall affect the authority and responsibility of the Attorney General to commence civil actions in cases involving a pattern or practice of discrimination or raising an issue of general public importance under the Federal Fair Housing Act. 1-604. (a) Part IV and Sections 501 and 503 of Executive Order No. 11063 are revoked. The activities and functions of the President's Commission on Equal Opportunity in Housing described in that Executive Order shall be performed by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. (b) Sections 101 and 502(a) of Executive Order No. 11063 are revised to apply to discrimination because of "race, color, religion (creed), sex or national origin." All departments and agencies shall revise regulations, guidelines and procedures issued pursuant to Part II of Executive Order No. 11063 to reflect this amendment to coverage. (c) Section 102 of Executive Order No. 11063 is revised by deleting the term "Housing and Home Finance Agency" and inserting in lieu thereof the term "Department of Housing and Urban Development." 1-605. Nothing in this Order shall affect any requirement imposed under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (15 U.S.C. 1691 et seq.), the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (12 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.) or the Community Reinvestment Act (12 U.S.C. 2810 et seq.). 1-7. Report. 1-701. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall submit to the President an annual report commenting on the progress the Department of Housing and Urban Development and other Executive agencies have made in carrying out requirements and responsibilities under this Executive Order. JIMMY CARTER The White House, December 31, 1980. [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 3:09 p.m., January 2, 1981]