Fair Housing & Equal Opportunity
The Fair Housing Act of 1968 was established to eliminate discrimination in housing opportunities and to affirmatively further housing choices for all Americans.
It is illegal to discriminate in housing based on the following:
- Race
- Color
- National Origin
- Sex
- Religion
- Physical or mental disability
- Familial status (the presence of children under the age of 18 or a pregnant female)
Federal and state laws protect you against housing discrimination and intimidation. These laws apply to activities which include the following:
- Renting
- Buying
- Advertising
- Financing
- Purchasing property
- Insurance
- Building accessible housing
It is unlawful for any person, including, but not limited to, owners, landlords, agents, real estate brokers, real estate salespersons, trustees, mortgagors, financial institution, title companies and/or insurance companies to discriminate against any person in the sale, lease, rental, or any other transaction involving housing.
You may have experienced housing discrimination if...
- you are told the apartment is not available to inspect, but a “for rent” sign is displayed.
- the manager takes your application and promises to call you, but your phone never rings.
- you have a service animal (such as a guide dog) and you are told “No pets allowed.”
- the landlord or real estate agent explains why another place would be better for you.
- your condo or homeowners association won’t let you make physical modifications to your unit to meet your disability.
- a lender imposes different terms and conditions on a mortgage loan (such as interest rates or application procedures).
- the landlord refuses to rent to you because you are a victim of domestic violence.
If you believe you may have experienced fair housing discrimination, please contact Community Legal Services at (800) 984-2920 or via email at fairhousing@clsmf.org.
For more information, visit Community Legal Services website at http://clsmf.org.