- How
do you recognize discrimination?
- How
to recognize discrimination against families with children.
- How
to recognize discrimination against the Disabled.
- How
to recognize harassment.
How
do you recognize discrimination?
Housing
discrimination is rarely blatant. It is usually disguised
and more often than not is done with a smile and a handshake.
Your fair housing rights are violated when you are prevented
from doing the following because of your race, color, religion,
sex, national origin, disability or family status:
- Viewing
or renting an apartment.
- Viewing
or purchasing a home.
- Applying
for or securing a home loan.
- Purchasing
homeowners or renters insurance.
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Be
suspicious when you here statements like:
- "I
rented that apartment after you called."
- "This
building is for adults only."
- "I
don't really want all those changes, a ramp, grab
bars; that's too much."
- "We
can't have mentally retarded people living here. Who
will take care of them? It will make the neighbors
uncomfortable."
- "Do
you think you can afford this neighborhood?"
- "The
owner just took the house off the market."
- "We
just can't seem to get an appointment to show you
the house."
- "There
is a problem with the appraisal."
- "We
have a minimum
mortgage amount; we don't make loans under $30,000."
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How
to recognize discrimination against families with children.
You
have the right to housing of your choice. Housing discrimination
against families with children is no longer legal in any state
or in the nation. This means that families cannot be denied
housing simply because they have children. The law protects
pregnant women, families with children, adults serving as
guardians for children and those in the process of obtaining
legal custody of children.
The
protected class of Familial Status only protects families
with children. It is not related to marital status, sexual
preference or unmarried couples living together.
Suspect
housing discrimination when these types of comments are made:
- "We
take younger children, but teenagers will disturb
other tenants."
- "Sure,
we rent to families with kids, but we'll need and
extra security deposit."
- "Only
3 people are allowed in a 2 bedroom apartment."
- "Children
are only allowed in the basement and the first floor
units."
- "Our
'Kids' building is full."
- "This
complex isn't suitable for children. There is no playground
or open space."
- "Sorry,
a parent and a child cannot share a bedroom."
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In
some very narrow circumstances, it is illegal to exclude families
with children from an apartment or house of their choice.
Housing complexes designated for older persons can exclude
families if they meet certain strict criteria.
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How
to recognize discrimination against the Disabled.
You
have the right to housing of your choice. It is illegal for
anyone to deny housing because you have a mental or physical
disability.
The
Fair Housing Act protects people with mental retardation,
mental illness, epilepsy, cerebal palsy, visual and hearing
impairments, AIDS, and other disabilities. People who use
walkers, wheelchairs, companion animals. or a personal care
attendant are all protected against housing discrimination.
Landlords
and real estate agents usually don't say, "You can't
live here because you have a handicap." Some of the things
they do say are:
- "You
can't live here because there's no one to take care
of you."
- "I'd
like to rent to you but my insurance will go up."
- "How
can I be sure you will pay the rent?"
- "We
don't want alcoholics or drug addicts here, even if
they are in recovery programs."
- "We
have a no-pets rule, and that includes your guide
dog."
- "I
want to see your medical records."
- "Your
wheelchair will damage the carpet and walls and you
won't be able to get out if there's a fire."
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You
are entitled to reasonable accommodations!
Landlords
must let you make physical changes to your apartment if you
need them, but landlords do not have to pay for them, that
is your responsibility. For example, if you need grab bars
in the bathroom or wider doors, the landlord must give you
permission to make the changes. Remember...the cost of the
changes are yours.
Landlords
must make reasonable exceptions to rules that interfere with
your ability to live comfortably in your home. For example,
if you need to make an extra key so a friend can come to help
you, the landlord has to bend the rule that 'only tenants
may have keys.' If you can't hear a smoke alarm, the landlord
must install visual alarms in public areas and must let you
put one in your unit.
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How
to recognize harassment.
If
you are being threatened, coerced, harassed, or intimidated
because of your race, color religion, sex national origin,
disability, family status, or because of the race of your
relatives or visitors, call your local FBI office, sheriff
or police department. Also, report the problem to the County's
Fair Housing Program, to HUD and/or the Ohio Civil Rights
Commission. Harassment is a criminal violation against the
Fair housing Act!
It
is a violation of the Fair Housing Act for a landlord or his/her
agent to ask for or require sexual favors in exchange for
the rental of an apartment, lease renewal, repairs, or any
other conditions or privilege of renting.
Sexual
harassment can range from the landlord or agent (superintendent,
maintenance worker, rental manager, etc.) making sexual comments,
to actually physically assaulting you.
- The
landlord may be direct and demand sexual favors to
rent the apartment or have repairs made.
- Or,
he/she may enter your apartment without permission
and make sexually offensive comments to you, or try
to touch you.
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If
you have engaged in sexual activities to pay the rent, security
deposit or to have repairs made, and you now refuse further
demands for sexual contact with the landlord, you may still
be a victim of sexual harassment.
The
landlord cannot retaliate against you because you say no or
because you report him/her. He/she may try to evict you, refuse
repairs, raise your rent, or threaten you because you refused
his/her sexual advances. They are violations of the law, and
you should report it immediately.
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Fayette County Fair Housing All rights
reserved
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