The Law
The fair housing laws protect everyone from discrimination in the sale or rental
of housing. When based on race, religion, gender, disability, etc., the following
are discriminatory actions:
- Refusing to rent or sell housing to you.
- Sexually harassing a tenant
- Falsely informing you that housing is unavailable.
- Asking you to pay a different amount for rent or security deposit.
- Excluding you from living in an apartment or neighborhood.
- Evicting you based on the race of your friends or family.
Because you have children, your landlord CANNOT:
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Limit where you live.
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Charge you a higher rent or security deposit
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Deny you housing.
If you are considered disabled, your landlord CANNOT refuse your reasonable
request to:
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Alter your dwelling to accommodate your disability (Examples: include: lowering sinks, installing ramps, etc.) However, changes would be made at your expense and you can be asked to change the unit back to its previous condition when you leave.
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Change rules, procedures or policies to allow you to live in your place of choice with your disability. Examples include: allowing service animals, assigning handicapped parking, etc.
Racial Steering
Racial steering is the practice of showing homes and communities to persons
based on the race or ethnicity of the buyer. So African American home seekers
are shown homes in the interracial or predominantly African American
neighborhood, while white home seekers are shown homes in predominantly
white neighborhoods. Fair Housing is about choice. Home seekers should
be provided information about a variety of neighborhoods within their price
range and then allowed to choose where they want to live.
Fair Housing Law
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Title VI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or
national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial
assistance.
Fair Housing Act
Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as
amended, prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing
of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions, based on
race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status (including
children under the age of 18 living with parents of legal custodians,
pregnant women, and people securing custody of children under
the age of 18), and handicap (disability).
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
Title II prohibits discrimination based on disability in programs,
services, and activities provided or made available by public
entities. HUD enforces Title II when it relates to state and local public
housing, housing assistance and housing referrals.
Elliott – Larsen Civil Rights Act
The Elliott – Larsen Civil Rights Act also know as the Michigan State
Civil Rights Act provides protection from discrimination in the sale,
rental, financing of dwellings, and other housing transactions, based
on race, color, national origin, religion, disability, sex, familial status,
age and marital status.
Other Fair Housing Assistance Websites
If you feel you hve been the victum of illegal housing practice, please contact us or one of the following Local or National Fair Housing Agencys:
HUD.... http://www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/FHLaws/index.cfm
National Fair Housing Alliance.... http://www.nationalfairhousing.org/
National Fair Housing Advocate.... http://www.fairhousing.com/index.cfm? method=application.home
John Marshall Law School..... http://www.jmls.edu/fairhousingcenter/resources.shtml
