Staying compliant with Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan (AFHMP) requirements isn’t just a one-time task—it’s an ongoing responsibility.
While the core requirements haven’t changed, there’s growing discussion about potential updates. That makes it even more important for property teams to stay proactive, organized, and well-documented.
This week’s Tuesday Tip breaks down what you should be doing right now to stay on track.
Revamp Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plans
Every property should have an established AFHMP in place. Typically, this plan is created when the property is built or when the contract is first assigned. These plans should be reviewed at least every five years. During that review, your goal is simple: determine whether your current marketing strategy still reflects the community you serve.
There’s no required format for documenting this review, but you must be able to clearly show:
- What data you reviewed
- What conclusions you reached
- Whether updates were needed
If changes are necessary, you’ll need to update the plan and submit it to HUD for approval.
Additionally, use Data to guides your decisions. While reviewing your Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan (AFHMP), most teams rely on U.S. Census and American Community Survey (ACS) updates. These tools help you evaluate whether the demographics in your area have shifted. If they have, your outreach strategy may need to change—especially when identifying groups that are least likely to apply.
A significant demographic shift isn’t just a small update—it may require a fully revised marketing plan and new HUD approval.
Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute
Even if your plan doesn’t need a full update, your marketing responsibilities happen every year.
If your waitlist is open, you must:
- Advertise for all open unit types
- Use every outreach source listed in your plan
- Maintain consistency across all marketing efforts
That last point is where many properties run into trouble.
If your plan lists newspapers, community organizations, or advocacy groups—you must use them, even if they feel outdated. Compliance depends on following your approved plan, not just current trends. Also, make sure all contact information you have is current. Effective outreach only happens if you are reaching the correct people.
Each year, you should:
- Verify contact names and roles
- Update organization contacts (like NAACP or local community groups)
- Ensure marketing materials are sent to the correct individuals
Sending materials to outdated contacts can undermine your efforts and your documentation.
Document Everything
Longtime Tuesday Tip viewers have long been advised to document, document, document everything when it comes to property management. The same applies to Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing plans.
You should keep records of:
- Marketing activities and advertisements
- Outreach to community organizations
- Updates and reviews of your plan
If it is not documented, it didn’t happen, especially during your next MOR.
Again, HUD has not announced any immediate changes to the AFHMP. However, it never hurts to strengthen documentation, clean up marketing processes, and ensure your plan truly reflects your community.
