Equal Housing
Opportunity -
WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD
KNOW ABOUT EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN HOUSING
The sale and purchase
of a home is one of the most significant
events that an individual will experience in
their lifetime. It is more than the simple
purchase of housing, for it directly impacts
the hopes, dreams, aspirations, and economic
destiny of those involved. It is for this
reason that the Fair Housing Act and other
federal and state laws were enacted to
guarantee a right to a national housing
market free from discrimination based on
race, color, religion, sex, handicap,
familial status, and national origin.
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;
and 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
The NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® has developed a
Fair Housing Program to provide resources
and guidance to REALTORS® in ensuring equal
professional services for all people. The
term REALTOR® identifies a licensed
professional in real estate who is a member
of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.
Not all licensed real estate brokers and
salespersons are members of the National
Association, and only those who are may
identify themselves as REALTORS®. They
conduct their business and activities in
accordance with a strict Code of Ethics.
The Code of Ethics
Article 10 of the
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Code of
Ethics provides that "REALTORS® shall not
deny equal professional services to any
person for reasons of race, color, religion,
sex, handicap, familial status, or national
origin. REALTORS® shall not be a party to
any plan or agreement to discriminate
against a person or persons on the basis of
race, color, religion, sex, handicap,
familial status or national origin."
A REALTOR® pledges to
conduct business in keeping with the spirit
and letter of the Code of Ethics. Article 10
imposes obligations upon REALTORS® and is
also a firm statement of support for equal
opportunity in housing.
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, 1-800-669-9777 (voice), or
1-800-543-8294 (TDD).
Contact HUD on the
internet at
http://www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/index.cfm
Equal Housing
Opportunity - azdreamhomes.net.com
Revised December 25,
2006
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