It is the Department of Community Development's mission to promote nondiscrimination and ensure fair and equal housing opportunities for all; and to provide services and activities in a nondiscriminatory manner to affirmatively further fair housing.
Every person has the right to fair housing. This means that people have the right to own or rent a home without fear of discrimination. This is a fundamental right protected by state and federal fair housing laws.
Fair Housing Laws prohibit discrimination based on:
- Race or Color
- National Original or Ancestry
- Religion
- Gender
- Sexual Orientation
- Marital Status
- Age / Familial Status (having children or being pregnant)
- Mental or Physical Disability
- Source of Income
What actions are prohibited?
It is illegal for a landlord, seller, or lender to:
- Refuse to rent housing.
- Discourage a person from looking at an apartment.
- Steer a person to a different apartment or home for sale.
- Set different terms, conditions, or privileges, relating to the rental or purchase of a dwelling.
- Tell a person that housing is not available for inspection, rental, or sale when the dwelling is available.
- Refuse "reasonable accommodations" for a person with a disability.
- Discriminate in the advertising of a house or apartment.
- Treat people differently based on the source of their income.
- Deny a loan or mortgage based on illegal discrimination.
- Discriminate in the advertising of a house or apartment (I.E. "No Children" or "Adults Only")
- Establish quotas based on ethnicity, gender, etc.
- Rent or sell to only selected ethnic group(s).
Below you will find links to information on Equal Opportunity & Fair Housing.
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