HUD Encourages Sharing School and Crime Data with Homebuyers
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued a call to real estate agents on Friday, encouraging them to provide potential homebuyers with essential information about schools and crime rates in neighborhoods. This comes after platforms like Redfin and Trulia stopped sharing such data amidst concerns about racial discrimination under the Biden administration.
“Buying a home is perhaps one of the most significant decisions a family can make,” HUD Secretary Scott Turner remarked. “People should not be kept in the dark about important factors like neighborhood safety and school quality.”
Turner emphasized that HUD’s stance allows real estate professionals to share this information with families fairly and consistently.
A directive from 2021 by former President Joe Biden instructed HUD to use the Fair Housing Act to prevent “practices that have an unwarranted discriminatory effect” and to work toward eliminating racial bias throughout the home buying and rental processes.
Although the memo from Biden wasn’t directly quoted, several listing platforms, including Redfin, Trulia, and realtor.com, have pulled neighborhood crime data from their sites over the past year.
During Biden’s term, real estate associations had circulated materials advising agents not to answer direct questions from clients about neighborhood safety and school quality, citing fears of violating the Fair Housing Act.
In a “Dear Colleague” letter, Craig Traynor, assistant secretary for fair housing and equal opportunity at HUD, emphasized that sharing this information isn’t against federal law as suggested by some industry leaders.
“Real estate agents and brokers do not violate the Fair Housing Act simply by discussing crime rates or school quality with those looking to buy or rent,” Trainor asserted. “Americans should have access to the data they need to make educated decisions on where to live and raise their families,” he continued. Yet, he noted that under the Biden administration, there has been a push to dismiss neighborhood crime data as potentially “reinforcing racial bias.”
During Biden’s presidency, several real estate groups ceased sharing data on school quality and neighborhood safety due to concerns about Fair Housing Act violations. Trainor pointed out that the memo from Biden had been “superseded by President Trump’s April 2025 Executive Order ‘Restoring Equal Opportunity and Meritocracy.’”
He also mentioned that the Fair Housing Act would raise significant First Amendment concerns if it prohibited agents from discussing schools and crime rates.
Trainor urged real estate organizations to reassess their reliance on self-appointed DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) ‘experts’ who might be misinterpreting the Fair Housing Act.
“Industry guidance discouraging agents from addressing customer inquiries about crime and schools adversely impacts buyers, renters, agents, and the principles of fair housing,” Trainor noted.
In response to the new guidelines, a spokesperson from realtor.com stated that the company is committed to “full transparency.” They mentioned, “We have always advocated for open markets and transparency, and we are currently researching reliable crime data sources.”
The National Association of Realtors commented that they are “carefully reviewing the letter” and appreciate the ongoing dialogue with the government about this topic. “As the main voice for real estate professionals, we bring extensive knowledge in fair housing and its application. We are attentively considering this letter and its impacts on our members and the consumers they serve,” they stated. “We look forward to further discussions with the administration to ensure clear guidance that allows realtors to effectively help customers across the country.”
Representatives from Trulia and Redfin have not yet responded to requests for comments.
