August 25, 2020
Housing discrimination at any stage–buying, renting, financing, etc.–is a violation of federal law. The Fair Housing Act protects borrowers from being denied housing based on non-financial criteria including race, family status, sexual identity, etc.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced agreements in an Arkansas Fair Housing discrimination case.
According to a press release issued by HUD, the agency has approved three Conciliation Agreements with the owners and property management company of Springdale Ridge Apartments in Springdale, Arkansas.
HUD says these three agreements resolve complaints that the owners and management of Springdale Ridge Apartments “discriminated against several residents because of their national origin and retaliated against an employee living on site who sought to inform the residents of their fair housing rights” according to the HUD press release.
The Fair Housing Act makes it illegal for anyone in the housing industry including housing providers from discriminating against tenants because non-financial issues such as race, national origin, etc.
Fair Housing law also forbids retaliation against those who exercise their rights under the Fair Housing Act. It’s also against federal law to retaliate against those who help others to know or use their rights.
“Having a place to call home shouldn’t depend on where you come from,” said Anna María Farías, HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, who was quoted in the press release.
She adds, “HUD remains committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of their national origin, has equal access to housing and that housing providers meet their obligations under federal civil rights laws.”
HUD says the conciliation includes Canyon View compensating the former residents a total of $51,000. Canyon View is also required to “revise and distribute their non-discrimination policy, and market housing opportunities to immigrant communities in Springdale, Arkansas, and attend fair housing training”.
We report these Fair Housing cases because all violations of the Fair Housing Act create an environment that makes it harder for borrowers to seek and find affordable housing.
The victim of housing discrimination is often also the person with the power to stop such incidents from happening again by reporting them to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
If you have been discriminated against in any stage of the housing project, file a complaint of discrimination by contacting the HUD Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at (800) 669-9777.
You can also visit the How to File a Complaint on the HUD official site. You can also file a complaint by contacting HUD using the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.
Joe Wallace has been specializing in military and personal finance topics since 1995. His work has appeared on Air Force Television News, The Pentagon Channel, ABC and a variety of print and online publications. He is a 13-year Air Force veteran and a member of the Air Force Public Affairs Alumni Association. He was Managing editor for www.valoans.com for (8) years and is currently the Associate Editor for FHANewsblog.com.
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