What is the Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH)? 
The Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule requires certain program participants to perform an Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH) using the HUD-provided Assessment Tool designed for use by a particular type of program participant. The AFH is an analysis of fair housing issues and contributing factors in a program participant’s jurisdiction and region that results in goals that the program participant sets forth to achieve over the program participant’s subsequent planning cycle. The AFH is replacing the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice planning process.
Under the AFFH rule, the “AFH” (also referred to in the rule as an “assessment”) means the analysis undertaken pursuant to 24 C.F.R. § 5.154 that includes an analysis of fair housing data, an assessment of fair housing issues and contributing factors, and an identification of fair housing priorities and goals, and is conducted and submitted to HUD using the Assessment Tool. The AFH may be conducted and submitted by an individual program participant (individual AFH), or may be a single AFH conducted and submitted by two or more program participants (joint AFH) or two or more program participants, where at least two of which are Consolidated Plan program participants (regional AFH). 24 C.F.R. § 5.152 provides more information.
Program participants conduct the AFH using an Assessment Tool, HUD-provided data, local data, and local knowledge, including the views and recommendations of members of the community and other interested parties. The Assessment Tool consists of a series of directions and questions designed to focus program participants’ analyses on key fair housing issues and contributing factors. Program participants will submit completed AFHs to HUD for review via a web-based User Interface. HUD will review each AFH to determine whether the program participant has met the requirements for providing its analysis, assessment, prioritization, and goal setting, as set forth in the rule.
An accepted AFH is a required prerequisite to acceptance of a program participant's Consolidated Plan or 5-year Public Housing Agency (PHA) plan.
 
Why should I conduct a regional or joint Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH) instead of an individual AFH?
Program participants are strongly encouraged to work together to conduct and submit a joint or regional AFH. Not only do many fair housing issues cross jurisdictional boundaries, but all program participants will be required to conduct a regional analysis whether or not they choose to work with regional partners. Working regionally may help program participants ensure that their goals are consistent and collaborative, thereby making their goals more likely to be effective. Furthermore, there may be resource savings and less duplication of effort by working with partners. The rule provides flexibility to encourage such collaborations, including the alignment of planning processes.
The provision of the new Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule on joint and regional Assessment of Fair Housing is located at 24 C.F.R. § 5.156.