HOUSING DISCRIMINATION
Illegal housing practices can affect people of all races, religions, and nationality.
Disabled people, people with children, and
women may also find themselves facing housing discrimination
at some point in their lives.
Though these practices are unfair and against the law, they
still occur. They can include:
·
Having a “No Children” policy
·
Disallowing canine assistants such as guide dogs
·
Evicting tenants of a certain race
·
Not renting to interracial couples
Fortunately, the Fair Housing Act prohibits unfair housing
practices. The FHA covers not only renting, but also
mortgage lending. No one can discriminate based on race,
color, national origin, religion, sex, or handicap. It also
makes it illegal to threaten or harass anyone who exercises
their rights under the FHA.
A number of other laws serve to protect the individual in
search of housing, including Section 109 of Title I of the
Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 and Title II
of the American’s with Disabilities Act of 1990.
These law and others do a reasonably good job of protecting
the rights of citizens, but there are still many reported
cases of housing discrimination. If a person feels that he
or she is the victim of some form of housing discrimination,
they should contact their State or local fair housing
agency.
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