In an attempt to encourage communities to be more diverse, the Obama administration is tying federal community grants to the demographic make-up of communities, according to what washingtonexaminer is telling MHProNews.

An amendment from Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) would have defunded President Obama’s “The Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule,” but the Senate, despite having a Republican majority, voted it down 60-37. Sen. Lee said he wanted to prevent the federal government from becoming a national zoning authority by requiring federal grant recipients to abide by government issued diversity rules.

Instead, the Senate voted 87-9 in favor of an amendment from Susan Collins (R-ME) to prevent HUD from mandating local housing and zoning regulations.

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala) said, “HUD does not intend to direct any special zoning requirements. It does, however, intend to significantly influence local zoning decisions by withholding approval of local plans until they meet HUD’s central goals.”

Conservatives have criticized Obama’s housing rule since it was unveiled in July as more unnecessary regulation from Washington. ##

(Photo credit: AP Photo/Susan Walsh–Sen. Mike Lee)

Article submitted by Matthew J. Silver to Daily Business News-MHProNews.