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What Everyone Should Know About
Equal Opportunity in Housing
The sale and purchase of a
home is one of the most significant events that any person will experience
in his or her lifetime. It is more that the simple purchase of housing, for
it includes the hopes, dreams, aspirations, and economic destiny of those
involved.
THE LAW
Civil Rights Act of 1866
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 prohibits all racial discrimination in the sale
or rental of property.
Fair Housing Act
The Fair Housing Act declares a national policy of fair housing throughout
the United States. The law makes illegal any discrimination in the sale,
lease or rental of housing, or making housing otherwise unavailable, because
of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national
origin.
Americans with Disabilities Act
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits
discrimination against persons with disabilities in places of public
accommodations and commercial facilities.
Equal Credit Opportunity Act
The Equal Credit Opportunity Act makes discrimination unlawful with
respect to any aspect of a credit application on the basis of race, color,
religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age or because all or part
of the applicant's income derives from any public assistance program..
State and Local Laws
State and local laws often provide broader coverage and prohibit
discrimination based on additional classes not covered by federal law.
THE RESPONSIBILITIES
The home seller, the home seeker, and the real estate professional all have
rights and responsibilities under the law.
For the Home Seller
As a home seller or landlord you have a responsibility and a requirement
under the law not to discriminate in the sale, rental and financing of
property on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial
status, or national origin. You cannot instruct the licensed broker or
salesperson acting as your agent to convey for you any limitations in the
sale or rental because the real estate professional is also bound by law not
to discriminate. Under the law, a home seller or landlord cannot establish
discriminatory terms or conditions in the purchase or rental; deny that
housing is available, or advertise that the property is available only to
persons of a certain race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status,
or national origin.
For the Home Seeker
You have the right to expect that housing will be available to you
without discrimination or other limitations based on race, color, religion,
sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.
This includes the right to expect: housing in your price range made
available to you without discrimination equal professional service the
opportunity to consider a broad range of housing choices no discriminatory
limitations on communities or locations of housing no discrimination in the
financing, appraising, or insuring of housing reasonable accommodations in
rules, practices and procedures for persons with disabilities
non-discriminatory terms and conditions for the sale, rental, financing, or
insuring of a dwelling to be free from harassment or intimidation for
exercising your fair housing rights.
For the Real Estate Professional
Agents in a real estate transaction are prohibited by law from
discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap,
familial status, or national origin. A request from the home seller or
landlord to act in a discriminatory manner in the sale, lease or rental
cannot legally be fulfilled by the real estate professional.
THE REALTOR® FAIR HOUSING PROGRAM
If You Suspect
Discrimination
Call the Local Board of REALTORS®
Local Boards of REALTORS® will accept complaints alleging violations of
the Code of Ethics filed by a home seeker who alleges discriminatory
treatment in the availability, purchase or rental of housing. Local Boards
of REALTORS® have a responsibility to enforce the Code of Ethics through
professional standards procedures and corrective action in cases where a
violation of the Code of Ethics is proven to have occurred.
Call the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Complaints alleging discrimination in housing may be filed with the
nearest office of the United States Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD), or by calling HUD's toll free numbers, 1-800-699-9777
(voice), or 1-800-927-9275 (TTY).
Contact HUD on the internet at
http://www.hud.gov/ .
(Source:
Realtor.org, 2005)
Paige Peugh
mobile phone 706.633.9969
toll free (800) 307 0777
ask for extension 239
e-mail
paige@ellijay.com
Coldwell Banker
High Country Realty
Blue Ridge, Georgia
Contact Us
You may contact Paige to show you any of the
properties featured on this site, as well as anything you might find through
the Multiple Listing Service.