Fair Housing
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. Additional protections apply to federally assisted housing.
You may be a victim of housing discrimination. Contact our office to discuss
About the Fair Housing Act
The Fair Housing Act, also known as Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, was signed into law on April 11, 1968, expanding on previous acts to prohibit housing discrimination based on various factors such as race, religion, national origin, sex, handicap, and family status. Its passage was prompted by the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the growing need for equal housing opportunities for all.
Advocacy groups like the NAACP, NAREB, the GI Forum, and the National Committee Against Discrimination In Housing played significant roles in pushing for the Senate’s approval of the Fair Housing Act. Senators Edward Brooke and Edward Kennedy passionately advocated for the legislation, drawing from their personal experiences and the injustices faced by African-American and Hispanic soldiers returning from Vietnam.
President Johnson’s urgent call for the Act’s passage, coupled with the nationwide riots following Dr. King’s assassination, propelled the House of Representatives and the Senate to swiftly approve the legislation. President Richard Nixon appointed officials to administer the Act, including George Romney as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and Samuel Simmons as the first Assistant Secretary for Equal Housing Opportunity.
Since its inception, the Fair Housing Act has been commemorated annually during Fair Housing Month, with celebrations, proclamations, contests, and educational events promoting fair housing principles. The Act has had a profound impact on housing rights, promoting equality and combating housing discrimination throughout the United States.
These celebrations continue to honor the Act’s legacy and serve as reminders of the progress made in ensuring fair housing opportunities for all individuals and communities.
Fair Housing Protected Classes
- Race
- Color
- Religion
- National Origin
- Sex
- Disability
- Familial Status
- Sexual Orientation
Examples:
John, who is a Black man, speaks to a prospective landlord on the phone about leasing an apartment. On the phone, the landlord seems eager to rent to John, but when John meets with the landlord in person to fill out an application, the landlord’s attitude is entirely different. A few days later, John receives a letter saying that his application was denied because of a negative reference from his current landlord. John is surprised because he never had problems with his landlord, and his landlord swears she was never contacted for a reference. John suspects that the real reason he was denied the apartment was because he is Black, so John files a complaint with HUD. HUD investigates and it turns out John is right – the landlord’s files show a pattern of discrimination because of race and color.
Jane has a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8), but one month she falls behind on her portion of the rent. When Jane asks her landlord if he will give her a few more days, her landlord says yes but only if she will go out with him. Feeling she has no choice, Jane says yes. Over the next few days, Jane’s landlord sends her sexually explicit text messages even though Jane tells him to stop. Jane’s landlord tells her that if she does not go out with him again he is going to evict her and she will lose her voucher. Jane files a complaint with HUD because sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination.
Jane and John are filling out an application for a mortgage at their local bank. Their loan officer notices that Jane is visibly pregnant and asks whether she will be taking maternity leave. When Jane says yes, the loan officer informs the couple that they either have to apply without Jane’s income or wait until she returns from leave. “I’m sorry,” the loan officer says, “but I’ve seen too many women change their mind about going back to work.” Jane and John file a complaint with HUD because the bank’s policy discriminates based on sex (including gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and sexual harassment) and familial status.
What is prohibited:
- It is illegal discrimination to take any of the following actions because of race, color, religion, sex (including gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and sexual harassment), disability, familial status, or national origin:
- Refuse to rent or sell housing
- Refuse to negotiate for housing
- Otherwise make housing unavailable
- Set different terms, conditions or privileges for sale or rental of a dwelling
- Provide a person different housing services or facilities
- Falsely deny that housing is available for inspection, sale or rental
- Make, print or publish any notice, statement or advertisement with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation or discrimination
- Impose different sales prices or rental charges for the sale or rental of a dwelling
- Use different qualification criteria or applications, or sale or rental standards or procedures, such as income standards, application requirements, application fees, credit analyses, sale or rental approval procedures or other requirements
- Evict a tenant or a tenant’s guest
- Harass a person
- Fail or delay performance of maintenance or repairs
- Limit privileges, services or facilities of a dwelling
- Discourage the purchase or rental of a dwelling
- Assign a person to a particular building or neighborhood or section of a building or neighborhood
- For profit, persuade, or try to persuade, homeowners to sell their homes by suggesting that people of a particular protected characteristic are about to move into the neighborhood (blockbusting)
- Refuse to provide or discriminate in the terms or conditions of homeowners insurance because of the race, color, religion, sex (including gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and sexual harassment), disability, familial status, or national origin of the owner and/or occupants of a dwelling
- Deny access to or membership in any multiple listing service or real estate brokers’ organization
- It is illegal discrimination to take any of the following actions based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and sexual harassment), disability, familial status, or national origin:
- Refuse to make a mortgage loan or provide other financial assistance for a dwelling
- Refuse to provide information regarding loans
- Impose different terms or conditions on a loan, such as different interest rates, points, or fees
- Discriminate in appraising a dwelling
- Condition the availability of a loan on a person’s response to harassment
- Refuse to purchase a loan.
The Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to harass persons because of race, color, religion, sex (including gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and sexual harassment), disability, familial status, or national origin. Among other things, this forbids sexual harassment.
- In addition, it is illegal discrimination to:
- Threaten, coerce, intimidate or interfere with anyone exercising a fair housing right or assisting others who exercise the right
- Retaliate against a person who has filed a fair housing complaint or assisted in a fair housing investigation
- Housing providers must make reasonable accommodations and allow reasonable modifications that may be necessary to allow persons with disabilities to enjoy their housing.
- Certain multifamily housing must be accessible to persons with disabilities. Get more information.
About Veterans Center Fair Housing Program
The Fair Housing Program is dedicated to promoting equal housing opportunities and combating housing discrimination. We provide resources, education, and support to renters, homeowners, and families to ensure they understand their rights under Fair Housing Act.
Through our program, individuals can access free educational webinars that cover the basics of fair housing and empower them to recognize and respond to housing discrimination. We also offer opportunities to speak with a fair housing intake specialist, who can guide individuals through the process of filing a complaint if they have experienced discrimination.
Our team of fair housing counselors is available to provide personalized assistance and guidance, helping individuals navigate complex housing situations and advocating for their rights.
Join our Fair Housing Program and empower yourself with the knowledge and support needed to ensure fair and equal housing opportunities for all. Together, we can work towards building inclusive and thriving communities.
Our Service Area
- Metro Atlanta
- Henry
- Clayton
- Newton
- Middle Georgia
- South Georgia
Fair Housing Program Steps
Step 1
Complete the Pre-Intake Application or call our office at 678-792-8387
Step 2
Schedule a One on One interview with our Intake Specialist.
Step 3
Register for a webinar or class to learn more about Fair Housing or file a complaint below.
Fair Housing Resources
Submit your fair housing complaint.
Schedule one on one with Intake Specialist.
Reasonable Accommodation Letter Generator
Find Fair Housing agencies near you
Metro Fair Housing
215 Lakewood Way SW Atlanta, GA 30315
http://www.metrofairhousing.com
(404) 524-0000
JC Vision
135 East ML King, Jr. Drive. Suite G, Hinesville, GA 31313
http://jcvision.com
(912) 877-4243
Georgia Equal Opportunity Commission
205 Jesse Hill Jr. Dr. SE
14th Floor-1470B East Tower
ATLANTA, GA 30334
https://gceo.georgia.gov/fair-housing-division
(404) 656-1736