What Is FHA Home Loan Discrimination?
The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, or FHEO, is an agency in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban development. FHEO is responsible for enforcing and administering federal fair housing laws to protect American citizens from discrimination on the basis of race, nationality, age, handicap, religion, sexual orientation, or any other form of discrimination prohibited by law. In addition, it is FHEO’s responsibility to implement measures to prevent discrimination and provide information on housing loans and foreclosure prevention. FHEO also enforces state and local fair housing laws.
The FHEO mission is very simple: “provide information and advice to agencies and associations of lending, coordinate programs to eliminate discrimination, and provide referrals to persons experiencing unfair housing treatment.” FHEO is a federal office located in Washington, D.C. Although all federal agencies and offices are required to comply with fair housing laws, not all are. There are many examples of discrimination that FHEO can help to remedy. If you are experiencing problems or know someone who is, you should let FHEO know.
There are some cases where FHEO can prevent or reduce discrimination. If a real estate agent tries to deny a home seller a house because of their race, gender, religion, national origin or disability, FHEO can take action to prevent this. FHEO will conduct an inspection of the property to determine whether or not it was built according to fair housing standards and whether or not the home seller has a reasonable excuse for refusing to sell the house. If the inspector determines that there is indeed a discrimination problem, the agency will work with the real estate agent to try to resolve the issue. In many cases, this means an offer to settle the dispute outside of court.
FHEO’s Equal Employment Opportunity Housing Division also works to ensure that all federal employees, including those in the National Background Check System (NBS) and the Social Security Administration, are able to practice their rights when hiring new employees. Employees cannot be discriminated against based on their race, nationality, sex, disability, religion, or national origin, according to FHEO. If there are employment issues, FHEO will investigate the complaint. If the employee is found to have been the victim of discrimination, they will be asked to file a complaint with their respective agency.
FHEO also works to prevent discrimination when it comes to home buying or home rental. FHEO works to make sure that no one experiences barriers when it comes to equal opportunity housing. They do this by ensuring that everyone has equal access. This includes FHA home loans for those in a lower income bracket, the ability to buy or rent a home regardless of familial status, and fair housing insurance.
If you want to move to a new city or a new state, FHEO can help you accomplish this. FHEO will help you fill out the necessary forms and will then assist you with the paperwork to purchase a home or rent an apartment in a new city or state. You should contact your local branch once you have decided where you would like to live. FHEO will give you free information about your local housing laws. If you move to a different city or state after your employment, FHEO can assist you with any other housing needs you may have. Whether you want to buy a home, rent an apartment, or apply for employment, you should contact your local branch to see if they offer this service.