April 27, 2022
Saturday, April 30, 2022, is the last day of Fair Housing Month. But the advent of May doesn’t mean that the fight against housing discrimination comes to an end.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development encourages all who may have experienced some form of discrimination in the housing process to come forward and report the incidents to the HUD Office of Housing and Equal Opportunity or FHEO.
FHEO is responsible for enforcing the Fair Housing Act, but also the following laws that contribute to fair housing for all:
- Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
- Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
- The Architectural Barriers Act of 1968
- The Age Discrimination Act of 1975
- Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972
FHEO is charged year-round with:
- Investigating fair housing complaints
- Conducting compliance reviews
- Ensuring civil rights in HUD programs
- Managing fair housing grants
Have you been discriminated against at any stage of the housing process? No matter whether you are renting, buying, or just gathering information, you have rights that protect you from discrimination based on:
- Race or national origin
- Color
- Religion
- Sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation)
- Familial Status
- Disability
You can file a complaint with FHEO, but it’s crucial to do so as soon as possible as there may be a limited window of time where such cases can be heard and investigated. You can submit a complaint at (800) 669-9777 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (Relay).
When submitting a complaint, be sure to include your name and contact information but also;
- The name and address of those your complaint is against;
- The address of the housing or program involved;
- A short description of the situation that you feel violated your rights;
- The date(s) of the incident(s).
The only way to prevent future discrimination is to report current violations when they happen. The victims of housing discrimination are often the ones with the power to prevent it from happening to others by reporting to HUD and getting an investigation where warranted.
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.
Browse by Date: