HUD Lets Realtors Share Crime Data

The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued a 'Dear Colleague' letter saying real estate professionals may lawfully provide neighborhood crime rates and school‑quality information, reversing a prior climate where disparate‑impact enforcement discouraged sharing such data. Major listing portals and realtor associations had previously removed or advised against these data points, producing an information gap that advantaged wealthier, better‑connected buyers. — This change matters because it shifts who controls neighborhood information — altering transparency, market power, and the practical balance between anti‑discrimination enforcement and consumer information rights.