Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford has joined 20 other attorneys general in an effort to support fair housing organizations by filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. The brief aims to challenge a decision that removed a temporary restraining order, which had previously prevented the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from canceling grant funding for these organizations.
AG Ford emphasized the importance of protecting fair housing as a fundamental value shared by governmental bodies. He criticized HUD’s cancellation of grants under the Trump administration, describing it as “highly destructive” and a failure to meet legal responsibilities. Ford expressed confidence in the lawsuit’s success, advocating for maintaining the temporary restraining order to safeguard vulnerable populations in Nevada.
The Fair Housing Initiative Program (FHIP), established by Congress, provides funding to nonprofit organizations working against discriminatory housing practices. In February 2025, HUD abruptly canceled 78 FHIP grants across 33 states without prior notice, despite statutory obligations to provide such funding.
In response, 66 nonprofit fair housing groups filed a lawsuit against HUD in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts. The court initially reinstated their funding with a temporary restraining order on March 26. However, following an interim ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in another case, HUD moved to dissolve this order—a motion granted by the District Court on April 14.
The attorneys general argue that reinstating the temporary restraining order is crucial because they believe plaintiffs are likely to succeed on their claims. They warn that allowing HUD’s revocation of funds could disrupt essential work against housing discrimination, negatively impacting states and residents.
Joining AG Ford in this initiative are attorneys general from Massachusetts, New York, California, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington D.C., Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
