| Fair Housing - It's Your Right (Source: HUD Website) |
The Fair Housing Act |
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing because of:
- Race or color
- National origin
- Religion
- Sex
- Familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians; pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18)
- Handicap (Disability)
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What Housing Is Covered? |
| 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. |
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:
- Refuse to rent or sell housing
- Refuse to negotiate for housing
- Make housing unavailable
- Deny a dwelling
- Set different terms, conditions or privileges for sale or rental of a dwelling
- Provide different housing services or facilities
- Falsely deny that housing is available for inspection, sale, or rental
- For profit, persuade owners to sell or rent (blockbusting) or
- Deny anyone access to or membership in a facility or service (such as a multiple listing service) related to the sale or rental of housing.
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Additional Protection If You Have a Disability. |
If you or someone associated with you:
- Have a physical or mental disability (including hearing, mobility and visual impairments, chronic alcoholism, chronic mental illness, AIDS, AIDS Related Complex and mental retardation) that substantially limits one or more major life activities
- Have a record of such a disability or
- Are regarded as having such a disability
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Your landlord may not:
- Refuse to let you make reasonable modifications to your dwelling or common use areas, at your expense, if necessary for the disabled person to use the housing. (Where reasonable, the landlord may permit changes only if you agree to restore the property to its original condition when you move.)
- Refuse to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices or services if necessary for the disabled person to use the housing.
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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.
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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.
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Familial status protection also applies to pregnant women and anyone securing legal custody of a child under 18. |
Exemption: Housing for older persons is except 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; 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. |
If You Think Your Rights Have Been Violated |
| HUD is ready to help with any problem of housing discrimination. If you think your rights have been violated, the Housing Discrimination Complaint Form is available for you to download, complete and return, or complete online and submit, or you may write HUD a letter, or telephone the HUD Office nearest you. You have one year after an alleged violation to file a complaint with HUD, but you should file it as soon as possible. |
For additional information, go to www.hud.gov or contact Raben Real Estate for a free brochure. |
This information is deemed reliable but cannot be guaranteed for accuracy. |
Email request form  or call toll free! |
Raben Real Estate
302 Main Street
Rapid City, SD 57701
1-605-342-7272  Toll Free: 1-888-341-7272
Fax: 1-605-343-8900 |
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