Fair Housing: It's The Law

Fair Housing means that you have the right to live wherever you choose and be treated accoring to the same rules as everyone else. Fair Housing laws promote equal opportunity and prohibit discriminatory practices that can unfairly limit the housing choices of numerous groups.

The NYC Human Rights Law prohibits housing discrimination in New York City based on a person's real or perceived race, color, national origin, gender (including gender identity and sexual harassment), creed, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, partnership status, alienage or citizenship status, age, lawful occupation or because children may be or will be residing with you.

Unlawful practices of Fair Housing in the five boroughs of New York City include: refusing to sell or rent housing; misrepresenting the availability of housing; setting different terms, conditions or priveleges for the sale or rental of housing; providing different housing services or facilities; posting discriminatory advertising or marketing that indicates a preference, limitation, or discrimination based on a protected class; for example, ads that say "no children" or "married couples only" would be discriminatory; refusing to provide a reasonable accomodation for a person with a disability; steering a potential homebuyer or renter to--or away from--an area on the basis of race or national origin; pressuring, for profit, homeowners to sell by exploiting ethnic, racial or other demographic changes (blockbusting); and threatening, coercing or intimidating individuals because they exercise their Fair Housing rights or assist others in doing so. The Human Rights Law also prohibits discriminatory lending by banks, mortgage brokers and other lenders.

Fair Housing: It's the Law discusses Fair Housing under the NYC Human Rights Law and how to file a complaint if you believe you are a victim of housing discrimination.