---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 12831"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "12831"
heading: "Equal opportunity"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/12831"
units:
  - "Chapter 130 — National Affordable Housing"
  - "Subchapter II — Investment in Affordable Housing"
  - "Part F — General Provisions"
---

# §12831. Equal opportunity

- (a) **Solicitation of contracts—** Each [participating jurisdiction](/usc/42/12704.md?p=4) shall prescribe procedures acceptable to the [Secretary](/usc/42/12704.md?p=16) to establish and oversee a minority outreach program within each such [jurisdiction](/usc/42/12704.md?p=3) to ensure the inclusion, to the maximum extent possible, of minorities and women, and entities owned by minorities and women, including, without limitation, real estate firms, [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7) firms, appraisal firms, management firms, financial institutions, investment banking firms, underwriters, accountants, and providers of legal services, in all contracts, entered into by the [participating jurisdiction](/usc/42/12704.md?p=4) with such persons or entities, public and private, in order to facilitate the activities of the [participating jurisdiction](/usc/42/12704.md?p=4) to provide affordable [housing](/usc/42/12704.md?p=8) authorized under this Act or any other Federal [housing](/usc/42/12704.md?p=8) law applicable to such [jurisdiction](/usc/42/12704.md?p=3).
- (b) **Report to Congress—** Before the end of the 180-day period beginning on the date the first [allocation](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=2) of funds is made under [section 12747 of this title](/usc/42/12747.md), the [Secretary](/usc/42/12704.md?p=16) shall submit to the Congress a report containing a description of the actions taken by each [participating jurisdiction](/usc/42/12704.md?p=4) pursuant to [subsection (a)](#a) and such recommendations for administrative and legislative action as the [Secretary](/usc/42/12704.md?p=16) may determine to be appropriate to carry out the purposes of such subsection.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 101–625, title II, § 281, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4125.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 101–625, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4079, known as the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 12701 of this title and Tables.