President Trump made a class-based appeal Wednesday to voters in the suburbs, where he trails presumptive Democratic nominee Joseph R. Biden, saying he’s ensured they won’t be “bothered” by low-income housing.
“I am happy to inform all of the people living their Suburban Lifestyle Dream that you will no longer be bothered or financially hurt by having low income housing built in your neighborhood,” the president tweeted. “Your housing prices will go up based on the market, and crime will go down. I have rescinded the Obama-Biden AFFH Rule. Enjoy!”
At a stop later Wednesday in Midland, Texas, the president brought up the topic again to applause.
“People fight all of their lives to get into the suburbs and have a beautiful home,” Mr. Trump said. “There will be no more low-income housing forced into the suburbs. I … just rescinded the rule. I’ve seen conflict for years. It’s been hell for suburbia. We rescinded the rule three days ago, so enjoy your life, ladies and gentlemen, enjoy.”
Mr. Trump, who trails Mr. Biden by 11 points among suburban voters in the latest Fox News poll, this week took action to repeal the Obama administration’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule. The 2015 regulation was an update to the 1968 Fair Housing Act, and sought to enforce desegregation in housing.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson said the Obama rule was “complicated, costly and ineffective.”
“We found it to be unworkable and ultimately a waste of time for localities to comply with, too often resulting in funds being steered away from communities that need them most,” Mr. Carson said in a statement.
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, called the president’s tweet “disgusting.”
“President Trump is actively working to gut fair housing laws and legalize housing discrimination,” Mr. Schumer tweeted. “EVERY American deserves access to the American dream. We will fight this.”
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