{"id":82594,"date":"2023-04-14T10:09:53","date_gmt":"2023-04-14T17:09:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/?p=82594"},"modified":"2023-06-30T07:57:01","modified_gmt":"2023-06-30T14:57:01","slug":"what-is-fair-housing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/what-is-fair-housing\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Fair Housing? Rights, Responsibilities, and Resources"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever submitted an offer on a home or applied for a mortgage and felt you were treated unfairly, you aren\u2019t alone. Housing discrimination has existed for decades and continues to be a major issue, although it often appears in subtle forms. Fair housing laws helped address many blatantly discriminatory practices, but you may be wondering what rights you have under fair housing laws and who enforces them.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Fair Housing Act<\/span><\/a> (FHA) provides rights, responsibilities, and resources for everyone at every stage of the housing process, including buyers, renters, real estate agents, lenders, and brokerages. Fair housing is critical to creating an equitable society free from discrimination.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re a <\/span>homebuyer<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>renter<\/span><\/a>, or just want to learn more, this article is for you. Read on to learn what you need to know about fair housing, including what it is, the rights it provides, the responsibilities it enforces, and what to do if you\u2019ve been discriminated against.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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What is fair housing?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Fair housing laws prohibit discrimination in the purchase, sale, rental, and financing of housing due to a person\u2019s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability. The Fair Housing Act <\/span>protects everyone<\/span><\/a>, including US citizens, green card holders, and undocumented residents.<\/span><\/p>\n

The right to fair housing was established by the Fair Housing Act (Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act) in 1968 and has since been through <\/span>dozens of amendments and executive orders<\/span><\/a> expanding its reach. States, counties, and cities also often have specific housing laws that provide additional protections beyond those offered by the Fair Housing Act, such as prohibiting discrimination based on <\/span>characteristics<\/span><\/a> such as age, gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or source of income (including the receipt of income from <\/span>affordable housing<\/span><\/a> programs).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Exceptions to the Fair Housing Act<\/span><\/h3>\n

The Fair Housing Act applies to most housing, but there are a <\/span>few exceptions<\/span><\/a> where the law doesn\u2019t apply:<\/span><\/p>\n