Phone No: + 1 888 464 8188
GROWTH by NCRC
  • Notification
  • Menu Canvas
    • ABOUT US
      • Core Values
      • Meet Our Team
      • NCRC
    • PROPERTIES
    • INSPIRATION
    • PARTNERS
    • RESOURCES
      • FAQs
      • Careers
      • Homeownership Blog
      • News
      • Events
      • Mortgage Calculator
Phone No: + 1 888 464 8188
Follow Us:
GROWTH by NCRC
  • ABOUT US
    • Core Values
    • Meet Our Team
    • NCRC
  • PROPERTIES
  • INSPIRATION
  • PARTNERS
  • RESOURCES
    • FAQs
    • Careers
    • Homeownership Blog
    • News
    • Events
    • Mortgage Calculator

What is Fair Housing? Five Things You Should Know

Homepage Growth Blog What is Fair Housing? Five Things You Should Know
Growth Blog

What is Fair Housing? Five Things You Should Know

April 12, 2021
By Admin
0 Comment
212 Views

What Is Fair Housing?

Five Things You Should Know

You may be familiar with the term “Fair Housing.”   It’s a term you hear most commonly in discussions about rental and for-sale housing, lending, and insurance.  So, what is fair housing?  In short,  Fair housing “is the right to choose housing free from unlawful discrimination.”  (fhcwm.org)

The Fair Housing Act was passed in 1968 by Lyndon B. Johnson. The goal was to try to put an end to discrimination in housing that existed during that era.  The Fair Housing Act protects people from discrimination when they are renting or buying a home, getting a mortgage, seeking housing assistance, or engaging in other housing-related activities.  At first, the act only protected four classes: religion, national origin, race, and color.  Sex, disability, and familial status were added later in 1974 and 1988. In recent years, a federal judge ruled that gender identity and sexual orientation be added into these protected classes under the Federal Fair Housing Act in 2017.

Although we have made tremendous progress under the Fair Housing Act, there are still ongoing issues. In 2018, nearly 25,000 discrimination complaints were filed, according to the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA). GROWTH wants to ensure everyone interested in owning or renting a home, especially minorities, are aware of the injustices that can occur during the process. So, we’ve listed five important points you should know when it comes to understanding Fair Housing.What is Fair Housing? Word Image

Advertise Properly

Although a landlord has the right to choose whomever they want as a tenant for a property, it’s critical that they refrain from discriminating against prospective buyers or tenants. It’s always best to focus on the qualities of the property instead of describing the ideal or tenant in ads. Many landlords may want to consider hiring property management to screen potential tenants.   This is also true for the way a for-sale home is advertised. You can’t mention things specific to marriage, children, age, or community demographics, etc. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) forbids discrimination for all aspects of residential real-estate associated transaction which include:

  • making loans to buy, build, repair, or improve a place to live
  • selling, brokering or appraising residential real estate
  • selling or renting a place to live 

Screen Applicants the Right Way

A good landlord will always run a background, criminal history, and credit check on potential tenants. Landlords have the right to ask about prior evictions, bankruptcies, and judgments. But if they ask about anything regarding a tenant having a mental and/or physical disability, marital status, age, or even inquiring about a possible drug or alcohol problem, that raises a problem. Bringing up topics like this is walking a thin line between legal and discriminatory.

Mortgage discrimination is also illegal.  This is important to know when you’re applying for a mortgage to buy, refinance, or make improvements to your house.  Lenders cannot discriminate based on race, sex, age, or marital status, to name a few.   If you’re in the market for a mortgage, it’s important that you research different types of mortgages and available rates and the laws that protect you from discrimination.   Check out our blog on redlining here for more information on discrimination in lending.

Be Thorough with Evictions

Each state has laws that describe what a Landlord can evict a renter for. Although evictions may be necessary in certain circumstances, it’s always best to do so as a last resort. If a Landlord must evict a tenant, it’s critical they follow the terms outlined in the lease and state law. And always remember that, evicting someone as a retaliatory act is against the provisions of the Fair Housing Act.

Extenuating Circumstances and ADA requirements

Rules within a lease or purchase agreement should be written in a way that does not discriminate against any specific group of possible tenants or buyers including buyers with disabilities. It is within the landlord’s or seller’s rights to accommodate any tenant or buyer on their terms, but they cannot refuse to accommodate modifications for anyone that may have a mental and/or physical disability protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which is a civil rights law prohibiting discrimination based on disability.

Do Your Research

There are seven classes protected at the Federal level. Many states have enacted laws that extend coverage to more classes of people such as being a member of the military, student status, marital status, occupation, sexual orientation, and even income.  It’s important to research which protected classes are covered by the Fair Housing Act at the local and state level.

What is Fair Housing–Conclusion

What Is Fair Housing? Protected Classes
Seven protected classes of the Fair Housing Act

 These 5 points highlight the basic tenets of the Fair Housing Act in situations for

purchasing or leasing a home. Yet, there is no doubt that minorities still face issues when it comes to housing discrimination.  At GROWTH we believe it is important to have diversity in homeownership.  Neighborhoods with diverse housing types promote racial and economic equity while also creating community stability and vitality.  While the Fair Housing Act was a first step in combating redlining and discrimination, the impact of such policies and attitudes persists today.  At GROWTH we are dedicated to reversing the impacts of redlining and removing barriers like systemic racism from our and economic inequity from our nation’s housing market.  To learn more about our mission visit us here.

Additional Resources:

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/fair_housing_act_overview

https://fhlaw.org/fair-housing-rights/what-is-fair-housing/

https://ncrc.org/marketplace-lgbtq-people-now-protected-under-the-fair-housing-act/

https://ncrc.org/advocacy-still-necessary-to-ensure-fair-housing-for-all/

Sources:

“Mortgage Discrimination.” Consumer Information, 13 Mar. 2018, www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0188-mortgage-discrimination.

TrustHome Properties. “5 Facts About the Federal Fair Housing Act • Laws & Regulations.” TrustHome Properties, 29 Dec. 2018, trusthomeproperties.com/orlando-property-management-blog/federal-fair-housing-act/.

Sievers, About the Author: Stephanie. “5 Things You Need to Know about Fair Housing.” Illinois REALTORS, 9 Apr. 2021, www.illinoisrealtors.org/blog/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-fair-housing/.

Tags: fair housing fair housing act fair housing laws fair housing rules homeownership and fair housing housing discrimination what is fair housing

Previous Story
What is Affordable Housing?
Next Story
Earth Day: Ten Ways to a Green Home

Related Articles

FHFA's Sandra Thompson to Address Racial Homeownership Gap

President Biden nominates Sandra L. Thompson as Director of the...

Redlining

Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

A Fair Housing Legacy: Recognizing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr....

Mortgage Payments

mortgagecalculator
Follow Us:

Tags

affordable homeowernship Affordable homeownership affordable homes Affordable Homes Atlanta Affordable Homes in Birmingham affordable housing Appraisal Discrimination Atlanta Homeownership Build Back Better Chicago Homes for sale CRA Decatur Housing Discrimination in Appraisals discriminatory lending Energy Efficiency fair housing fair housing act fair housing rules FHFA first time homebuyer first time homebuyers GROWTH by NCRC Homebuyers homeownership housing housing affordability housing counseling housing crisis housing discrimination housing inventory HUD impact of redlining Infrastructure bill LMI housing new construction New Construction Birmingham New Construction Chicago New construction Parma Heights Redlining Senate Bill Spring maintenance spring maintenance checklist spring maintenance tips what is redlining winter home checklist

Talk With Us

    Recent Post

    • Spring Cleaning Tips for a Sparkling Home Monday, 22, Mar
    • GROWTH by NCRC Managing Director Ed Gorman Leads Affordable Homeownership Session at NCRC’s Just Economy Conference Monday, 27, Jun
    • Many Americans Resort to Risky Financing to Purchase a Home Friday, 15, Apr
    • From Wall Street: Forget Owning. Rent the American Dream Instead Friday, 1, Apr
    • GROWTH Story: Why Our Life-Changing Mission is so Important to Me. Saturday, 26, Mar
    • Tips for Single Parents Looking to Buy a Home Tuesday, 22, Mar

    Our Partner

    GROWTH is an initiative of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), designed to create pathways to homeownership for low- and moderate-income (LMI) individuals and families while improving property values for LMI communities.

    Contact Us

    • 740 15th St NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20005
    • Phone: 888-464-8188
    Contact Us

    Quick Links

    • Find Your Home
    • Partner With Us
    • Resources
    • Careers
    • Blog
    • News
    • Events
    Copyright ©2020 GROWTH by NCRC. All Rights Reserved | Terms | Privacy | Code of Conduct | DMCA
    SearchPostsLogin
    Monday, 22, Mar
    Spring Cleaning Tips for a Sparkling Home
    Monday, 27, Jun
    GROWTH by NCRC Managing Director Ed Gorman Leads Affordable Homeownership Session at NCRC’s Just Economy Conference
    Friday, 15, Apr
    Many Americans Resort to Risky Financing to Purchase a Home
    Friday, 1, Apr
    From Wall Street: Forget Owning. Rent the American Dream Instead
    Saturday, 26, Mar
    GROWTH Story: Why Our Life-Changing Mission is so Important to Me.
    Tuesday, 22, Mar
    Tips for Single Parents Looking to Buy a Home
    Saturday, 19, Mar
    Birmingham Mayor Woodfin, GROWTH by NCRC Deliver Affordable Homeownership

    Welcome back,