The Fair Housing Laws
Fair Housing legislation was created in order to help people who may be discriminated against when it comes to their ability to rent a home. It is a civil right that is not recognized by the government, so it is up to individual citizens to file complaints with the local office of Fair Housing if they feel they are being discriminated against. Discrimination in the U.S. started during the end of slavery, usually under the guise of “Jim Crow Laws,” which enforced racial segregation within the country’s housing market.
Today, there are many different pieces of legislation covering the rights of minorities and other groups in the U.S., such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1965. Unfortunately, due to the nature of many of these legal issues, most Americans do not realize they have any rights at all. This is unfortunate because these laws were designed to help minorities who were discriminated against, whether they were Black Latino, Asian, or any other minority group. Today, they are still important to helping people who are discriminated against get fair housing in the country.
For example, Fair Housing Law states that individuals who are denied their right to live in a home based on their race, sex, religion, etc. must be given the same chance of living there as another person who is equally qualified. If someone is denied the opportunity to live in a home based on their race, gender, etc., they are entitled to an unbiased review of their case.
The first step to receiving a Fair Housing Law review is to contact your local office of Fair Housing, as many counties have their own offices which deal specifically with housing cases. They will give you a free evaluation of your case and will also give you free advice on what you need to do next. They will help you with the filing process, from submitting the proper paperwork to hiring a lawyer.
Many of these Fair Housing Law offices exist around the country, but it is important to know where they are located, as many states have laws which vary from one another. So, it is important to find out where your local office of Fair Housing is located so that you can begin the process of filing your case.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is actually the body which is in charge of enforcing these Fair Housing Laws. However, some of these laws cannot be enforced in all states, or with some HUD communities. You need to make sure that you check with your local office to make sure you are complying with the Fair Housing Laws of your state.