What is Fair Housing?
What is Fair Housing?
Fair Housing is a right protected by federal and state laws. Fair Housing means you may choose a place to live, regardless of your race, color, sex, religion, national origin, familial status or disability.
How Will I Recognize Discrimination?
Housing Discrimination is rarely blatant. It is usually cleverly disguised and more often than not, is done with a smile. You may not always know that you have been discriminated against, however, if you believe that your fair housing rights were violated when viewing or renting an apartment, viewing or purchasing a home, applying for or securing a home loan, or purchasing homeowners or renters insurance you should report it.
What is Prohibited?
The following are prohibited if the actions are based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or disability:
In the sale or rental of housing:
- Refusal to rent or sell housing
- Making housing unavailable
- Set different terms, conditions or privileges for the sale or rental of the dwelling
- Falsely deny that housing is available
- Provide different housing services or facilities
- Blockbusting
In mortgage lending:
- Refuse to make a mortgage loan
- Refuse to provide information regarding loans
- Impose different terms and/or conditions on a loan, such as interest rates, fees, points
- Discriminate in appraising property
- Refuse to purchase a loan
- Set different terms for purchasing a loan
Furthermore, it is also illegal for anyone to:
Threaten, coerce, intimidate or interfere with anyone exercising a fair housing right; Advertise or make any statement that indicates a limitation or preference based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability.
Is There Additional Protection for Persons with Disabilities?
If you have a physical or mental disability (including hearing, visual or mobility impairments, chronic alcoholism, chronic mental illness, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, AIDS or a developmental disability) that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a landlord may not: Refuse to let you make a reasonable accommodation (at your expense) to your dwelling or common use area if the modification is necessary for you to use the housing.
Refuse to make reasonable accommodations in the rules, policies, practices or services if necessary for a person with a disability to use the housing.
It is illegal for anyone to deny you housing because you have a mental or physical disability, or a record of having a mental or physical disability, or because people think you have a physical disability.