Fair Housing Rights to Protect you under The Law

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The federal Fair Housing Act, Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, was planned to protect the buyer/renter of a dwelling from seller/landlord discrimination. The law was the outcome of a civil liberties project versus housing discrimination in the United States. It was approved, at the urging of President Lyndon B. Johnson, just one week after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

. The Act is enforced by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
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HUD examines grievances of housing discrimination based upon race, color, religion, national origin, sex, impairment, or familial status. At no expense to you, HUD will check out the complaint and attempt to deal with the matter with both parties. The procedure to submit a problem is covered below.

NOTE: If you want to find out more about your rights as a renter in Kansas, read this Kansas Tenant Handbook. It was originally released by the Kansas firm Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc. (HCCI), which helps individuals in Kansas with a variety of consumer concerns.

Here is a video to show how the Fair Housing Act safeguards you from discrimination on the basis of LGBTQ status.

This video talks about discrimination in Idaho, however it likewise uses to Kansas and other states too. If you feel you have actually been a victim of housing discrimination because of LGBTQ status, you can get help from KLS online or call the application line at 316-267-3975. Or you can discover how to file a grievance directly with HUD by going here.

What Housing Is Covered?

The Fair Housing Act covers most housing In some cases, the Act excuses owner-occupied structures without any more than 4 units, single-family housing sold or leased without a broker, and housing run by organizations and private clubs that limit occupancy to members.

What Is Prohibited?

In the Sale and Rental of Housing: No one might take any of the following actions based on race, color, nationwide origin, faith, sex, familial status or handicap:

- Refuse to rent or offer housing

Refuse to anticipate housing.
Make housing not available
Deny a dwelling
Set different terms, conditions or benefits for sale or rental of a home
Provide different housing services or centers
Falsely deny that housing is open for assessment, sale, or rental
For earnings, encourage owners to sell or lease (blockbusting) or
Deny anybody access to or membership in a center or service (such as a numerous listing service) related to the sale or rental of housing.

In Mortgage Lending: Nobody might take any of the following actions based upon race, color, nationwide origin, religious beliefs, sex, familial status or handicap (impairment):

- Refuse to make a mortgage loan
Refuse to give information about loans
Impose different terms or conditions on a loan, such as different rate of interest, points, or charges
Discriminate in evaluating residential or commercial property - Refuse to buy a loan or
Set various terms or conditions for acquiring a loan.

In Addition: It is unlawful for anyone to:

- Threaten, push, bully or interfere with anybody applying a reasonable housing right or assisting others who work out that right
Advertise or make any statement that shows a cap or choice based upon race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or handicap. This bar against inequitable marketing applies to single-family and owner-occupied housing that is otherwise exempt from the Fair Housing Act.

Additional Protection if You Have an Impairment

If you or someone connected with you:

- Have a physical or mental impairment (including hearing, mobility and visual impairments, chronic alcoholism, chronic mental disorder, AIDS, AIDS Related Complex and psychological retardation) that considerably limits several significant life activities
Have a record of such a disability or
Are related to as having such a disability

Your property manager may not:

- Refuse to let you make practical changes to your dwelling or common usage locations, at your expenditure, if required for the handicapped individual to utilize the housing. (Where reasonable, the property manager may permit modifications only if you accept bring back the residential or commercial property to its original condition when you move.).
Refuse to make practical variations in guidelines, policies, practices or services if required for the handicapped person to utilize the housing.

Example: A building with a 'no pets' policy should allow a visually impaired tenant to keep a guide pet.

Example: Let's say an apartment building uses occupants ample, unassigned parking. They must honor a quote from a mobility-impaired renter for a reserved area near her home if it is required to ensure that she can have access to her home.

However, housing need not be made uninhabited to an individual who is a direct hazard to the health or safety of others or who now uses prohibited drugs.

Requirements for New Buildings

In structures that were ready for first use after March 13, 1991, and have an elevator and four or more units:

- Public and common locations should come in handy to persons with disabilities.
Doors and corridors need to be broad enough for wheelchairs.
All systems must have: - An available path into and through the system.
Handy light switches, electrical outlets, thermostats and other environmental protections.
Reinforced bathroom walls to enable later on fitting of grab bars and.
Bathroom and kitchens that can be used by individuals in wheelchairs.

If a structure with four or more units has no elevator and were all set for very first use after March 13, 1991, these standards use to ground flooring units.

These must-haves for new buildings do not change any more stringent standards in State or regional law.

Housing Opportunities for Families

Unless a building or community makes the grade as housing for older individuals, it might not discriminate based upon familial status. That is, it may not discriminate against households in which one or more kids under 18 live with:

- A parent.
An individual who has legal custody of the child or kids or.
The designee of the moms and dad or legal custodian, with the moms and dad or custodian's written authorization.

defense likewise uses to pregnant females and anyone securing legal custody of a child under 18.

Exemption: Housing for older persons is exempt from the ban versus familial status discrimination if:

- The HUD Secretary has chosen that it is specially developed for and inhabited by seniors under a Federal, State or city government program or.
It is occupied solely by persons who are 62 or older or.
It houses at least a single person who is 55 or older in a minimum of 80 percent of the occupied units. It needs to likewise adhere to a policy that demonstrates an intent to house individuals who are 55 or older.

A shift period allows citizens on or before September 13, 1988, to continue living in the housing, despite their age, without disrupting the exemption.

If you think your rights have actually been violated ... The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a Kansas or regional reasonable housing agency is all set to help you file a problem, or you can request legal help from KLS online or call the application line at 1-800-723-6953. Browse the web to HUD to find out how to submit a problem.

What to Tell HUD

- Your name and address.
The name and address of the individual your complaint protests (the respondent).
The address or other description of the housing included.
A short description of the supposed violation (the occasion that caused you to think your rights were breached).
The date of the alleged violation

Where to Write or Call:

Send a letter to the reasonable housing workplace closest you, or if you want, you may call that workplace directly.

Great Plains Office-- Fair Housing Hub

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,

Gateway Tower II, 400 State Avenue, Room 200, 4th Floor,

Kansas City, KS 66101-2406

Telephone (913) 551-6958 or 1-800-743-5323

Fax (913) 551-6856

TTY (913) 551-6972

E-mail: Complaints_office_07@hud.gov!.?.! Have a look at our pages on Resolving legal
barriers to employment and housing and Facts about record expungement in Kansas. Read about Tenant issues and rights for Kansas renters Plain text -No HTML tags allowed.- Lines and paragraphs break automatically.- Web page addresses and email addresses become links instantly.