Discrimination

Judge dismisses Maryland appraisal discrimination case and defamation countersuit

A federal judge has dismissed the claims of both the plaintiffs and defendants in an appraisal discrimination lawsuit that garnered national attention when it was filed in 2022. Nathan Connolly and Shani Mott — Maryland homeowners who are Black — sued appraiser Shane Lanham, his company 20/20 Valuations and mortgage lender loanDepot for allegedly undervaluing […]

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PAVE task force 2.0? Senate Democrat introduces appraisal bias legislation

The Trump administration has “effectively disbanded” the interagency Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE) task force, but a Democratic senator wants to revive it. Raphael Warnock of Georgia introduced the Appraisal Modernization Act on Thursday. The legislation seeks to address systemic bias in the appraisal process, effectively writing into law many of the measures the

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Trump administration ‘effectively disbands’ the PAVE task force

The Trump administration announced Thursday that it has ended the major policy provisions of the Biden-era Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE) task force, “effectively disbanding” a program that sought to eliminate racial bias in the appraisal process. The directive primarily applies to two rules. One required appraisers and mortgage lenders to comply with the

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State AGs oppose HUD’s plan to roll back fair housing marketing rules

California Attorney General Rob Bonta — along with a coalition of 20 other attorneys general — is urging the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to abandon a proposed rule that would eliminate federal requirements prohibiting discriminatory marketing of affordable housing. In a letter sent to HUD on Thursday, the attorneys general argued

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Trump’s assault on DEI hasn’t ended federal efforts to stop appraisal bias

The appraisal industry shed no tears when the Trump administration sought to undo the Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE) Interagency Taskforce, the federal effort to investigate racial bias in appraisals implemented by former President Joe Biden. But that doesn’t mean appraisers have seen the end of federal regulation and litigation around appraisals, or the

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Former CFO sues Real Brokerage, alleges discrimination

The former chief financial officer of cloud-based real estate firm The Real Brokerage has filed a federal lawsuit alleging she was pushed out of the company after becoming pregnant and taking maternity leave. Michelle Ressler, who was relieved of her role as CFO in April, claims in the suit that Real orchestrated her termination under

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CrossCountry Mortgage ordered to pay $2.1M in age discrimination case

An Ohio appeals court has upheld a jury’s decision that orders CrossCountry Mortgage (CCM), the nation’s eighth-largest mortgage lender, to pay $2.1 million to a former senior accountant who was allegedly fired due to her age.  Cheryl Shephard, who joined CCM in 2016, filed the lawsuit in October 2022 against the company and its vice

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Texas bill aimed at NAR speech code fails to advance

A Texas bill that aimed to prohibit professional and trade associations like the National Association of Realtors (NAR) from denying membership based on protected characteristics or what’s perceived to be free speech failed to advance in the state legislature Wednesday, according to Inman. Senate Bill 2713, introduced by Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston), was reportedly left

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NAR weighs speech code changes as industry pressure grows

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is considering major revisions to its Code of Ethics and policy statements, citing legal risks and the need for clarity. Meanwhile, a proposed law in Texas could complicate enforcement of its current rules. An agenda for NAR’s upcoming legislative meetings — which are scheduled for May 31 to June

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HUD secretary defends repeal of fair housing rule

In a strongly worded op-ed, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner defended the recent repeal of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule. Turner argued in The Gazette, an Iowa-based newspaper, that AFFH represented a federal overreach into local housing decisions and hurt the very communities it claimed to help.

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