For additional information, or to file a housing discrimination complaint with the City of Houston contact: The Fair Housing Staff at 713.868.8300 or write to:
Dept. of Housing & Community Development
P.O. Box 1562
Houston, Texas 77251-1562
The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988
24 CFR Part 14 et al.
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
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.
In Mortgage Lending:
No one may take any of the following actions based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or handicap:
Refuse to make a mortgage loan
Refuse to provide information regarding loans
Impose different terms or conditions on a loan
Discriminate in appraising property
Refuse to purchase a loan or
Set different terms or conditions for purchasing a loan
In Addition:
It is illegal for anyone to:
Threaten, coerce, intimidate or interfere with anyone exercising a fair housing right or assisting others who exercise that right
Advertise or make any statement that indicates a limitation or preference based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial Status or handicap. This prohibition against discriminatory advertising applies to single-family and owner-occupied housing that is otherwise exempt from the Fair Housing Act.
Additional Protection if You have a Disability
If you or someone associated with you:
have a physical 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 life activities;
have a record of such a disability; or
are regarded as having such a disability
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 handicapped persons 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.)
Example:
A building with "no pets" policy must allow a visually impaired tenant to keep a guide dog.
Example:
An apartment complex that offers tenant ample, unassigned parking must honor a request from a mobility- impaired tenant for a reserved space near his/her apartment if necessary to assure that the tenant can have access to the apartment.
However, housing need not be made available to a person who is a direct threat to the health and safety of others or who currently uses illegal drugs.
Disability Requirements for New Buildings
In buildings that are ready for first occupancy after 9.01.93.
Public and common areas must be accessible to disabled persons. (walkways, parking lots)
Doors and hallways must be wide enough for wheelchairs.
reinforced bathroom walls to allow the installation of grab bars; and
kitchens and bathrooms that can be used by people in wheelchairs.
If the complex was built before 1991 and has an elevator, the standards apply to all floors. If there is no elevator, the standards apply to ground floor units.
