The Fair Housing Amendments Act (FHAA) was signed into law on September 13, 1988 and became effective on
March 12, 1989. The Act amended Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin in housing sales, rentals or financing. The Fair Housing Act protects people from discrimination when they are renting, buying, or securing financing for any housing. The prohibitions specifically cover discrimination because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability and the presence of children. 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. If you or someone associated with you: Example: A building with a no pets policy must allow a visually impaired tenant to keep a guide dog.If you have questions or need assistance contact Michael Hellmann ADA Specialist or call 914-682-3926 (voice) 866-933-5390 (VP/TTY)
Learn About the Fair Housing Act
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:
In Mortgage Lending: No one may take any of the following actions based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or handicap (disability):
In Addition: It is illegal for anyone to:
Additional Protection if You Have a Disability
Your landlord may not:
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
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 federal law.
Housing Opportunities for Families
Unless a building or community qualifies as housing for older persons, it may not discriminate based on familial status. That is, it may not discriminate against families in which one or more children under 18 live with:
- 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, and adheres to a policy that demonstrates an intent to house persons who are 55 or older.
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.
WHERE TO GO FOR HELP
In Westchester, you can contact:
Westchester County Human Rights Commission
Fair Housing Department
112 East Post Road, 3rd Floor
White Plains, New York 10601
Telephone: 914-995-7710
Fax: 914-995-7720
Website:
www.westchestergov.com/humanrightscommission
Housing and Urban Development Regional Office
New York Regional Office//portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/states/new_york/officesJacob K. Javits Federal Building |
Phone (212) 264-8000 Fax (212) 264-0246 |
Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
Room 5116
Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 Seventh Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20410-2000
(202) 708-2878
For information or to report a violation of the Fair Housing visit the website.
Website: //www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/office-of-fair-housing-and-equal-opportunity