In 2021, which federal government agency announced an initiative called 'Combating Redlining Initiative'?

• A. Federal Trade Commission
• B. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• C. Federal Reserve
• D. U.S. Department of Justice

Answer: (D)

Enforcement of housing anti-discrimination through civil rights law is led by the Department of Justice. In 2021, the Department of Justice announced the Combating Redlining Initiative to strengthen enforcement under the Fair Housing Act and related protections, tackling discriminatory lending practices and barriers to housing access. This makes it the best choice because the DOJ is the federal agency most closely associated with civil rights enforcement in housing and is the one that issued a named, nationwide initiative specifically addressing redlining. The other agencies have different roles—FTC handles consumer protection in markets, HUD focuses on housing policy and programs, and the Federal Reserve concentrates on monetary policy and financial stability—so they would not be the ones to announce a named Combating Redlining Initiative.