"One America" -- an America were no one is denied an opportunity to build a better life because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, family status, or disability.

Index to Fair Housing

The Fair Housing Act
What is Prohibited?
Additional Protection if You Have a Disability
Requirements for New Buildings
Housing Opportunities for Families
If You Think Your Rights Have Been Violated
What Happens When You File a Complaint?
What Happens After a Complaint Investigation?
Contact Information

In April 1998, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development celebrated Fair Housing Month marking the 30th anniversary of Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 -- the Federal Fair Housing Law. The Fair Housing Act protects everyone! No one can be denied housing because of his or her race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development enforces the Fair Housing Act which protects these rights. The Town of Colonie has an Affirmative Action Plan for Fair Housing.

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing because of:

• Race or color
• National origin
• Religion
• Sex
• Familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians; pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18)
• Handicap
  

What housing is covered?

The Fair Housing Act covers most housing. In some circumstances, the Act exempts owner-occupied buildings with no more than four units, single-family housing sold or rented without the use of a broker, and housing operated by organizations and private clubs that limit occupancy to members.

What Is Prohibited?

In the Sale and Rental of Housing:

No one may take any of the following actions based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or handicap:

• Refuse to rent or sell housing
• Refuse to negotiate for housing
• Make housing unavailable
• Deny a dwelling
• Set different terms, conditions or privileges for sale or rental of a dwelling
• Provide different housing services or facilities
• Falsely deny that housing is available for inspection, sale, or rental
• For profit, persuade owners to sell or rent (blockbusting) or
• Deny anyone access to or membership in a facility or service (such as a multiple listing service) related to the sale or rental of housing

In Mortgage Lending:

No one may take any of the following actions based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or handicap:

• Refuse to make a mortgage loan
• Refuse to provide information regarding loans
• Impose different terms or conditions on a loan
• Discriminate in appraising property
• Refuse to purchase a loan or set different terms or conditions for purchasing a loan
  

In Addition:

It is illegal for anyone to:

• Threaten, coerce, intimidate or interfere with anyone exercising a fair housing right or assisting others who exercise that right
• Advertise or make any statement that indicates a limitation or preference based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or handicap. This prohibition against discriminatory advertising applies to single- family and owner-occupied housing that is otherwise exempt from the Fair Housing Act.
  

Additional Protection If You Have a Disability

If you or someone associated with you:

• Have a physical or mental disability (including hearing, mobility and visual impairments, chronic alcoholism, chronic mental illness, AIDS, AIDS Related Complex and mental retardation) that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
• Have a record of such a disability or are regarded as having such a disability.

Your landlord may not:

• Refuse to let you make reasonable modifications to your dwelling or common use areas, at your expense, if necessary for the handicapped person to use the housing. (Where reasonable, the landlord may permit changes only if you agree to restore the property to its original condition when you move).
• Refuse to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices or services if necessary for the handicapped person to use the housing.
  
  Example:
  
  A building with a "no pets" policy must allow a visually impaired tenant to keep a guide dog.
  
  Example:
  
  An apartment complex that offers tenants ample, unassigned parking must honor a request from a mobility-impaired tenant for a reserved space near her apartment if necessary to assure that she can have access to her apartment.
  
  However, housing need not be made available to a person who is a direct threat to the health or safety of others or who currently uses illegal drugs.
  

Requirements for New Buildings

In buildings that are ready for first occupancy after March 13, 1991, and have an elevator and four or more units:

• Public and common areas must be accessible to persons with disabilities.
• Doors and hallways must be wide enough for wheelchairs.

All units must have:

• An accessible route into and through the unit
• Accessible light switches, electrical outlets, thermostats and other environmental controls
• Reinforced bathroom walls to allow later installation of grab bars and
• Kitchens and bathrooms that can be used by people in wheelchairs

If a building with four or more units has no elevator and will be ready for first occupancy after March 13, 1991, these standards apply to ground floor units. These requirements for new buildings do not replace any more stringent standards in State or local law.

• A parent
• A person who has legal custody of the child or children or the designee of the parent or legal custodian, with the parent or custodian's written permission

Familial status protection also applies to pregnant women and anyone securing legal custody of a child under 18.

Exemption:

Housing for older persons is exempt from the prohibition against familial status discrimination if:

• The HUD Secretary has determined that it is specifically designed for and occupied by elderly persons under a Federal, State or local government program or
• It is occupied solely by persons who are 62 or older or
• It houses at least one person who is 55 or older in at least 80 percent of the occupied units; has significant services and facilities for older persons; and adheres to a published policy statement that demonstrates an intent to house persons who are 55 or older. The requirement for significant services and facilities is waived if providing them is not practicable and the housing is necessary to provide important housing opportunities for older persons.

A transition period permits residents on or before September 13, 1988, to continue living in the housing, regardless of their age, without interfering with the exemption.

HUD is ready to help with any problem of housing discrimination. If you think your rights have been violated, you may fill out a Housing Discrimination Complaint form, write HUD a letter, or telephone the HUD Hotline. You have one year after an alleged violation to file a complaint with HUD, but you should file it as soon as possible.

Online Assistance:

• You can file a complaint by using HUD's online form or
• You can print out a form, complete it, and mail it to the address listed below

What to Tell HUD:

• Your name and address
• The name and address of the person your complaint is against (the respondent)
• The address or other identification of the housing involved
• A short description of the alleged violation (the event that caused you to believe your rights were violated)
• The date(s) of the alleged violation

Where to Write:

Send the Housing Discrimination Complaint Form or a letter to the HUD office nearest you or to:

Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Room 5204
Washington, D.C. 20410-2000

Or

Town of Colonie
Community Development
Memorial Town Hall
Newtonville, NY 12128

Where to Call:

If you wish, you may use the toll-free Hotline number: 1-800-669-9777. (In Washington, D.C. call 708-0836.)

If You Are Disabled:

HUD also provides:

• A toll-free TDD phone for the hearing impaired: 1-800-927-9275. (In Washington, D.C., call 708-0836.)
• Interpreters
• Tapes and Braille materials
• Assistance in reading and completing forms

What Happens When You File A Complaint?

HUD will notify you when it receives your complaint. Normally, HUD also will:

• Notify the alleged violator of your complaint and permit that person to submit an answer
• Investigate your complaint and determine whether there is reasonable cause to believe the Fair Housing Act has been violated
• Notify you if it cannot complete an investigation within 100 days of receiving your complaint

Conciliation

HUD will try to reach an agreement with the person your complaint is against (the respondent). A conciliation agreement must protect both you and the public interest. If an agreement is signed, HUD will take no further action on your complaint. However, if HUD has reasonable cause to believe that a conciliation agreement is breached, HUD will recommend that the Attorney General file suit.

Complaint Referrals

If HUD has determined that your State or local agency has the same fair housing powers as HUD, HUD will refer your complaint to that agency for investigation and notify you of the referral. That agency must begin work on your complaint within 30 days or HUD may take it back.

What If You Need Help Quickly?

If you need immediate help to stop a serious problem that is being caused by a Fair Housing Act violation, HUD may be able to assist you as soon as you file a complaint. HUD may authorize the Attorney General to go to court to seek temporary or preliminary relief, pending the outcome of your complaint, if:

• Irreparable harm is likely to occur without HUD's intervention
• There is substantial evidence that a violation of the Fair Housing Act occurred

Example:

A builder agrees to sell a house but, after learning the buyer is black, fails to keep the agreement. The buyer files a complaint with HUD. HUD may authorize the Attorney General to go to court to prevent a sale to any other buyer until HUD investigates the complaint.

• To compensate you for actual damages, including humiliation, pain and suffering
• To provide injunctive or other equitable relief, for example, to make the housing available to you
• To pay the Federal Government a civil penalty to vindicate the public interest. The maximum penalties are $10,000 for a first violation and $50,000 for a third violation within seven years
• To pay reasonable attorney's fees and costs

Federal District Court:

If you or the respondent choose to have your case decided in Federal District Court, the Attorney General will file a suit and litigate it on your behalf. Like the ALJ, the District Court can order relief, and award actual damages, attorney's fees and costs. In addition, the court can award punitive damages.

In Addition, You May File Suit:

You may file suit, at your expense, in Federal District Court or State Court within two years of an alleged violation. If you cannot afford an attorney, the Court may appoint one for you. You may bring suit even after filing a complaint, if you have not signed a conciliation agreement and an Administrative Law Judge has not started a hearing. A court may award actual and punitive damages and attorney's fees and costs.

Other Tools to Combat Housing Discrimination:

If there is noncompliance with the order of an Administrative Law Judge, HUD may seek temporary relief, enforcement of the order or a restraining order in a United States Court of Appeals.

The Attorney General may file a suit in a Federal District Court if there is reasonable cause to believe a pattern or practice of housing discrimination is occurring.