Comment Submitted by Philip Tegeler

The undersigned fair housing and civil rights organizations support the proposal by HUD to implement a demonstration project using small area fair market rents (FMRs), set out at 75 Fed. Reg. 27808 (May 18, 2010). The current system for setting FMRs has long been criticized for limiting voucher holders’ ability to move into higher opportunity neighborhoods and for its tendency to steer families into higher poverty areas. We support HUD’s efforts to create a more accurate and fair system for setting FMRs that has the potential to enhance voucher holders’ mobility and choice. We encourage HUD to use this demonstration project as an opportunity to refine its methodology so that it may soon be implemented nationwide. In responding to HUD’s request for comments, we will first offer five general comments before responding to specific questions in the notice. See attached file(s).