HOUSING DISCRIMINATION / FAIR HOUSING

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WHAT IS HOUSING DISCRIMINATION

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin in housing.

The Act applies to almost all housing and housing providers in the United States, including private landlords and property management firms, property owners, federally-assisted housing, public housing authorities, realtors, and lenders and insurers of housing.

It also applies to individuals, such as neighbors, who intimidate, coerce or interfere with the fair housing rights of others. The Act deals with the sale, rental or financing of housing, as well as any advertisements or statements with respect to housing.

PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES INCLUDE

• Discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin
• Refusal to sell or rent dwellings
• Imposing of different terms and conditions of sale or rental
• Falsely denying the availability of housing for sale or rental
• Refusing to make mortgage loans
• Harassing or intimidating persons exercising fair housing rights based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin.
• Discrimination based on a person's source of income (see next paragraph)

SOURCE OF INCOME

In Connecticut, each of the following programs are considered a “lawful source of income” (Connecticut General Statutes Sec. 46a-64) and it is illegal to refuse to rent to a person who:

• has a Section 8 housing voucher
• is using the Security Deposit Guarantee Program in lieu of paying cash for a security deposit.

HOW TO FILE A COMPLAINT

Connecticut residents who have been trying to buy or rent a home or apartment and believe their rights have been violated should contact the Connecticut Fair Housing Center first. This agency will send testers to collect proof that an agency or landlord is discriminating, and they will also help with filing complaints with the appropriate state and federal agencies.

WHERE TO FILE A COMPLAINT

• Connecticut Fair Housing Center http://www.ctfairhousing.org
• Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities http://www.ct.gov/chro
• United States Fair Housing & Equal Opportunity Office www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/index.cfm

TO FIND PROVIDERS IN CONNECTICUT'S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE:

• Search by service name: Discrimination Assistance

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SOURCES: United States Department of Housing and Urban Development;
Refer Database, Connecticut General Statutes Sec. 46a-64
PREPARED BY: 211/kq
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: January2012