Fair Housing Laws
Housing and lending discrimination occurs when people try to rent or buy a home, and also when they attempt to get homeowner's insurance or a mortgage. Thirty-five years after Congress enacted the Fair Housing Act, millions of complaints are still filed each year - through nonprofit fair-housing agencies, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Justice, and state and local agencies.
Have you faced a closed door?
Housing discrimination doesn't always mean having a door slammed in your face or a bigoted remark directed your way. Unsuspecting renters or home buyers may be politely turned away from the housing of their choice, even though they are qualified.
In Maryland, three African men were evicted when their landlord terminated the leases of black tenants and replaced them with white tenants. In California, a disabled white woman who uses a guide animal was refused a rental unit in an apartment with a "no-pets" policy. In Ohio, a Hispanic woman was denied housing because of an unlawful "no kids" policy.
Each of these people did something. You can, too.
Learn More
- What Is Housing Discrimination?
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- The Human Faces of Housing Discrimination
Fair Housing Laws
Fair housing laws provide a critical way to deter and counteract housing discrimination. Follow these links to learn more.
- Federal Fair Housing Laws
- State and Local Fair Housing Enforcement Laws
- Enforcement Agencies
- History of Fair Housing Laws in the U.S.
More from The Leadership Conference
- Fair Housing Groups Document Spike in Housing Complaints - 5/4/09
- Fair Housing Centers Fight Discrimination with Limited Resources - 3/5/09
- Bipartisan Commission Releases Report on Fair Housing - 12/18/08
- Municipal Underbounding Leaves Minority Communities without Basic Resources - 08/01/07
- Lawsuit Alleges County in New York Not Fair in Housing - 02/01/07
- Report: Racial Steering into Segregated Neighborhoods Most Prevalent Form of Housing Discrimination - 04/07/06
- Gautreaux Housing Case Lawyer Calls for End to Black Ghettos - 02/23/06
- Briefing: Much More Is Needed to Make Fair Housing a Reality - 08/15/05
- ABC Drops Controversial "Neighborhood" Reality Show - 07/06/05
- New Reality Show to Exploit Stereotypes for Suburban Dream Home - 06/28/05
- Report Documents Housing Segregation 'Crisis' - 04/06/05
- New Recommendations Seek Bipartisanship in Improving Access to Housing - 10/06/04
- Fair Housing Advocates Call for Stricter Law Enforcement - 04/13/04
- HUD Conference Makes Fair Housing a Priority - 09/04/03
- New Fair Housing Web Site Launched to Address Housing Discrimination - 08/12/03
- Henderson Links Discriminatory Practices at NFHA Conference - 07/15/03
- Asian and Pacific Islanders Face Housing Discrimination - 07/01/03
- Illegal Housing Discrimination Endures - 04/26/03
- Fair Housing Campaign Launched - 04/15/03
- Housing, Lending Discrimination Continues in U.S. - 03/03/03
- HUD Enforcement Efforts Criticized in Hearing - 07/08/02




