Articles Tagged With: Fair Housing Act

November 20, 2015

Agreement Reached In Michigan Housing Discrimination Case

The FHA/HUD official site has issued a press release announcing an agreement in a Michigan housing discrimination case. According to HUDNo.15-147, a “concilliation agreement” has been reached between the government and Mortgage One, Inc., of Sterling Heights, Michigan, “resolving allegations of lending discrimination againstan applicant with disabilities.” According to the press release, HUD claimed Mortgage One and a loan officer, “required the mortgage applicant to provide intrusive and unnecessary documentation regarding his disabilities before approving his FHA-insured mortgage”. A persons qualifications to purchase a home should be the only criteria used to evaluate his or her loan application, not whether they are living with a disability, said Gustavo Velasquez, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, who was quoted in the press release. He adds, This agreement reaffirms | more...

October 23, 2015

HUD Proposes New Anti-Housing Discrimination Rule

By Joe Wallace

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has issued a press release about a proposed new rule that would create new, formal and standardized claims procedures for discrimination complaints in connection with housing transactions. HUDNo.15-136 was released Wednesday, October 21, 2015, stating, “The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that it is issuing a proposed rule that would formalize standards for victims of harassment in housing to bring claims under the Fair Housing Act.” HUD’s proposed rule, called Quid Pro Quo and Hostile Environment Harassment and Liability for Discriminatory Housing Practices under the Fair Housing Act, was published in the Federal Register and is open to comments by the public for a limited time. “A home should be a refuge where every woman and man deserves to | more...

Can I buy a manufactured home with an FHA loan?

October 19, 2015

Fair Housing Laws: Support Animals And Discrimination

By Joe Wallace

On the FHA/HUD official site this week there was a press release announcing HUD charges against New York City landlords for alleged discriminatory housing practices involving tenants with support animals. According to the press release HUDNo. 15-129, “The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it is charging the owners and landlords of a high-rise complex in New York City with violating the Fair Housing Act by refusing to allow a resident with disabilities to have an emotional support animal. HUDs charge alleges that Friedman Residence, LLC (formerly called the Aurora), Common Ground Management Corporation, and The Actors Fund of America refused to accept that the resident required a dog to cope with the symptoms of his disability.” The HUD press release adds that Fair Housing | more...

October 9, 2015

Know Your Rights Under The Fair Housing Act

By Joe Wallace

Recently we posted about an FHA/HUD press release announcing action against a Pennsylvania landlord who allegedly discriminated against families with children in his rental practices. The same kinds of violations of the Fair Housing Act can occur when trying to buy a home, and such cases are important as awareness-raising tools. When examining these issues, it becomes apparent that many people aren’t fully aware of their rights under the Fair Housing Act. Renters, house hunters, landlords and property owners alike are affected by this important federal law. But what ARE the rules under the Fair Housing Act? You can find a wealth of information at the FHA/HUD official site, which features a page called Fair Housing-It’s Your Right. That page includes (but is not limited to) the following information: “The | more...

October 8, 2015

HUD Charges Pennsylvania Landlord With Discrimination Against Children

By Joe Wallace

In a press release on the FHA/HUD official site, you’ll find the following statement about Fair Housing laws: “The Fair Housing Actmakes it unlawful to deny housing because a family has children under the age of 18 and to make statements that discriminate against families with children. Housing may exclude families with children only if it qualifies as housing for older persons under the Act. The Fair Housing Act permits the familynot the landlordto decide what unit is appropriate or safe for them.” This is mentioned in connection with a case brought by HUD against a Pennsylvania landlord. In a press release (HUDNo.15-123) published recently, we learn, “The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it has charged a Pennsylvania landlord with housing discrimination for allegedly | more...

August 4, 2015

HUD Announces Multi-Million Dollar Anti-Discrimination Initiative

By Joe Wallace

The Department of Housing and Urban Development have announced a large amount of funding that has become available to fight housing discrimination. According to HUDNo. 15-097, HUD, ” …is making $39.2 million available to fight housing discrimination under HUD’s 2015 Fair Housing Initiatives Program(FHIP) Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA). This year’s funding notice also creates six new types of grants that support fair housing capacity building, education and outreach activities, and testing in rental and sales transactions.” Fair Housing laws affect all types of housing transactions including FHA mortgages. The $39 million is being made available to “support organizations interested in the enforcement of fair housing laws and policies as well as educating the public, housing providers, and local governments about their rights and responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act” | more...

June 29, 2015

FHA & HUD On The Recent Supreme Court Fair Housing Decision

By Joe Wallace

There has rightfully been a great deal of attention on last Friday’s ruling by the Supreme Court on marriage equality. But last week’s Supreme Court actions also included other important decisions, one of which affects those seeking a place to live and the right to do so under the Fair Housing Act. On Thursday, June 25 2015, the FHA and HUD official site was updated to include a press statement from HUD about the court’s decision in a Texas housing discrimination case: “Today, the U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed an important legal principle in Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. The Inclusive Communities Project, Inc. The Justices found that the Fair Housing Act not only prohibits intentional acts of discrimination, but also housing practices that have an unjustified discriminatory | more...

June 12, 2015

HUD Secretary Castro on LGBT Month

By Joe Wallace

On the FHA/HUD official site, there’s a blog post by HUD Secretary Julian Castro, which announces that June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Month, described by Castro as, “a time to recognize the lasting contributions that these Americans have made to our nation, and to honor the progress thats been achieved in securing equal opportunity for all.” He adds, “Right now, were in the midst of a period of transformative change. In recent years, barriers that once blocked too many of our fellow Americans from living and loving freely have come tumbling down. In 2013, the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act, helping ensure that all couples are treated fairly under the law. Same-sex couples are now able to get married in 37 states. And earlier | more...

June 10, 2015

HUD Settlement In North Miami Beach Condo Housing Discrimination Case

By Joe Wallace

Housing discrimination is a violation of federal law. Sometimes that discrimination happens at the time a borrower applies for a home loan, other times it happens when the house hunter is looking for a home. But what about situations where a borrower has applied for a home loan, FHA or otherwise, closes the deal and moves in, only to find discrimination waiting for them once they are legally occupying the property? Such a case recently made headlines in North Miami Beach. The HUD official site has announced a settlement in a housing discrimination case in Florida. According to the HUDNo. 15-069, “The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today an agreement with a North Miami Beach condominium association settling allegations its board president harassed and made discriminatory remarks | more...

May 28, 2015

HUD Announces Historic “Redlining” Settlement

By Joe Wallace

Redlining, the act of discriminating against a group of people in the mortgage loan servicing process, is prohibited by the Fair Housing Act. Redlining often goes undetected as long as those being discriminated against don’t file a complaint with the government. When such complaints are reported to the FHA and HUD, they are taken seriously and investigated to insure violations of the Fair Housing Act don’t continue. This week HUD announced a historic settlement in a redlining case in HUDNo.15-064. “The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced an agreement with Associated Bank, N.A. (Associated) to resolve a disparate treatment redlining case, one of the largest redlining complaints brought by the federal government against a mortgage lender. At approximately $200 million, it is the largest settlement of | more...