GETTING UNCLE SAM TO ENFORCE YOUR CIVIL RIGHTS
WHEN AND WHERE TO FILE A COMPLAINT HOUSING
Discrimination in the sale or rental of housing on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, or family status (having children) is illegal. On such a basis, it is illegal to:
refuse to rent or sell housing;
refuse to negotiate for housing;
make housing unavailable;
deny housing;
set different terms, conditions, or privileges for the sale or rental of a dwelling, or provide different services or facilities in connection with the sale or rental;
falsely deny that housing is available for inspection, sale, or rental;
engage in blockbusting practices by persuading owners to sell or rent by telling them that minorities are moving into a neighborhood;
deny anyone access to or membership in a facility or service related to the sale or rental of housing, such as membership in multiple listing services or real estate brokers organizations;
make, print, or publish, or cause to be made, printed, or published any notice, statement, or advertisement indicating any preference, limitation, or discrimination with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling;
discriminate in the making or purchasing of loans or providing other financial services for a dwelling, including making available property insurance;
discriminate in the appraising of residential property; or
refuse to permit reasonable alterations to make a dwelling accessible for disabled tenants, or to provide reasonable accommodations for equal opportunity to enjoy the dwelling.
If you think you have been discriminated against:
in trying to buy or rent a house or apartment;
in getting a housing loan (see also the section on credit);
in seeking real estate broker services;
or if you wish to complain about advertisements that say housing is available only to persons of a certain race, color, national origin, sex, or religion, you may file a complaint with the nearest Fair Housing Enforcement Center of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or with:
U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development
Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
451 Seventh Street, SW, Room 5204
Washington, DC 20410-2000
(202) 619-8041
Hot line: (800) 669-9777, (202) 708-0836
TTY: (800) 927-9275
Fax: (202) 708-1425
www.hud.gov
For more information about how to file a complaint or to obtain forms, call the Fair Housing Clearinghouse at (800) 343-3442.
You may file suit, at your expense, in federal district court or state court. You may bring suit even after filing a complaint, if you have not signed a conciliation agreement and an administrative law judge has not started a hearing. You must file suit within 2 years of the alleged discriminatory action.
Finally, you may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice, which may step in if a pattern or practice of discrimination appears to exist, or if the denial of rights to a group of persons raises an important public issue. Send the complaint to:
U.S. Department of
Justice
Civil Rights Division
Housing and Civil Enforcement Section
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530
(202) 514-4713
Fax: (202) 514-1116
www.usdoj.gov
If you think you have been discriminated against in seeking real estate broker services, where such services include credit referral, you should also send a complaint to:
Federal Trade Commission
Bureau of Consumer Protection
FTC Building
Sixth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20580
(202) 326-2222
TTY: (202) 326-2050
Fax: (202) 326-2050
www.ftc.gov
Neither HUD nor the Justice Department has authority to act in some instances of discrimination, such as those that occur in the sale or rental of a single-family home by a private individual who owns three or fewer such units and does not advertise or use a broker, or in the rental of a room or apartment in a dwelling containing four or fewer units, if the owner lives in one of them.