April is Fair Housing Month

Each year in April we commemorate that the Civil Rights Act was signed into law. This year, we celebrate the 53rd anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, a law that protects people from discrimination when they are renting or buying a home, getting a mortgage, seeking housing assistance, or engaging in any other housing-related activities. The Act furthers the beliefs advocated by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the other heroes of the Civil Rights Movement. It prohibits housing discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, family status, and, just recently, sexual orientation and gender identity.

What is prohibited?

These are the housing practices considered illegal:

• Refusing to rent or sell a house.

• Falsely denying that a house is available for inspection, sale, or rent.

• Offering different terms, conditions, or privileges for certain people.

• Intimidating, interfering with or coercing someone to prevent them from buying or leasing a dwelling.

• Advertising or posting notices, sale or rental, that indicate a preference, limitation, or discrimination.

• Discriminating through financing or broker’s services.

• “Steering” of clients by real estate agents to or from certain neighborhoods and of tenants by landlords to or from certain areas of the complex.

At Sovereign Realty & Management we want to make sure that everybody can compete for housing within their economic means on a fair and equitable basis. We are fighting to end discrimination and promoting equality every day. 

During the month of April, NAR has hosted and sponsored the following events to commemorate Fair Housing Month. You can watch the recordings here. 

For more information about your fair housing rights, or filing a complaint, visit HUD website.