FAIR HOUSING 101 What is fair housing? Fair housing is a set of principles and laws which mandates equal access and opportunity in housing. Fair housing covers all housingrelated activities, from search and application to amenities, management policies, terms and conditions plus termination of tenancy. Fair housing covers persons who are members of a protected class which are designated as groups of persons and their families that historically have experienced discrimination.
Prepared by: Community Development Department, City Of Decatur, Alabama. For more information on Fair Housing or on how to file a complaint, contact Fair Housing Center of Northern Alabama, Birmingham, AL, at 866-740-1040 or www.fhcna.com. Sources: www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/fheducationday.cfm.
Fair Housing Discrimination:
What types of housing is covered by fair housing?
The definition of discrimination is
To some degree, fair housing laws apply to all
different from what it was years ago
types of housing. The private real estate market
when it was simply defined as denying
and all types of government-funded housing
Someone on the basis of a protected
must be compliant. Fair housing laws are not
class. Today it is defined as: “any difference in
restricted to rentals. Condos, co-ops,
treatment, exclusion of, or failure to offer a person an
rent-to-own, and single-family ownership units
equal opportunity in housing because of their race, color,
are covered as well.
religion, national origin, sex, handicap, or familial status.” • Race (African American, White, Asian) • Color (Black, White) • National Origin (Mexican, Ethiopian, Guatemalan,
Polish, Russian, Chinese, Somalian, Korean)
• Sex (male, female) • Religion (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism) • Familial Status (Families with children under
18 years old, pregnant women, or families
who are adopting or gaining custody of a child)
• Disability (persons who must use a wheelchair,
walker, or cane to move around; persons who
are blind or deaf; persons with autism or who
have Down’s syndrome)
Who must follow the fair housing laws? Property owners, developers, condo associations, and homeowner associations are covered parties under fair housing laws. Their employees, such as property managers, clerical staff, maintenance workers and all others are responsible for performing their duties in a manner consistent with fair housing. Developers, architects and contractors can be held liable under the accessible design and construction fair housing mandates for units built for persons with disabilities and their families.