Author: Alyssa Perwitz – Director, Property Management
To memorialize the passage of the Fair Housing Act on April 11, 1968, April has been named National Fair Housing Month. The Civil Rights law, signed by President Lyndon B. Jonson, made discrimination in housing transactions illegal. Today, in New York, it remains illegal for any housing provider to discriminate in housing transactions based on the protected classes of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (gender), familial status, disability, marital status, military status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a victim of domestic violence, sex offenses and stalking, and source of income.
Discrimination is a broad term and can take many forms. The Fair Housing act covers prohibited practices such as refusing to rent, sell or insure, lying about availability, steering, discriminating in terms and condition, refusing to make reasonable accommodations/modifications and threatening, coercing, intimidating or retaliating against a person for exercising their rights, to name a few. According to the HUD Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Fair Housing policies, laws, and public understanding of the same will serve to eliminate housing discrimination, promote economic opportunity and achieve diverse inclusive communities.
Having fair and equal access to a healthy, safe and affordable home is important for everyone. “Poor housing quality and inadequate conditions can contribute to negative health outcomes, including chronic disease and injury” according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. This finding reinforces the importance of the work Housing Visions does in the communities we serve providing safe affordable homes, but also equally as important, that there is fair and equal access to those homes.
At Housing Visions, our staff is committed providing a fair and equal housing opportunity to all in addition to creating safe, affordable housing units in our community. Our staff are trained annually in Fair Housing policies and we remain committed to ensuring Fair Housing practices are strictly enforced.
For more information regarding fair housing, please visit:
HUD Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
