Affirmative Marketing Differs from General Marketing Activities Because It Specifically

Policy Name: Affiliate Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan Policy Domain: SHOP Program Date of Adoption: 5/1/2010 Effective Date: 5/1/2010 Date(s) of Revision: 6/14/2011 Reference: None

Affirmative marketing differs from general marketing activities because it specifically targets potential homebuyers who are least likely to apply for the housing, in order to ensure that all persons-regardless of their race, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, disability or familial status-are aware of the affordable housing opportunities generated by SHOP Program activities.

Warning - Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity violation:

Advertising or making any statement about SHOP funded units that indicate a limitation or preference based on protected class status, i.e. to deny access to the SHOP funded unit because it is “set-aside” for a protected class means the Affiliate is out of compliance with Fair Housing regulations and therefore SHOP.

All Affiliates must have an AFHM Plan as part of each Project Application.  If the Affiliate is a current USDA 523 grantee, they may submit a copy of their USDA approved AFHM Plan from the corresponding approved grant application if the project for which they are seeking SHOP funds is covered by that grant OR #1 or #2 below.  If the Affiliate is not a current USDA 523 grantee OR the project for which they are seeking SHOP funding is not covered by the current USDA 523 grant, they must submit form HUD-935.2B (the same form is to be used for all homeownership projects, including Co-Op and Condo ownership): http://www.communityframeworks.org/shop/docs/Appendix_B/AFHM-Single- Family.pdf

The Plan must address:

1. How the Affiliate intends to inform the public and potential homebuyers about federal fair housing laws 2. The use of the Equal Housing Opportunity logo 3. Procedures to inform and solicit person not likely to apply without special outreach, such as: a. bilingual marketing and intake materials as appropriate, b. advertising in newspaper(s) that serves protected class(es), and/or c. advertising through specific mailing lists of organizations whose membership or clientele consist primarily of protected class members.