As a tenant, you have the right to be free from sexual harassment in your housing. The Department of Housing and Urban Development has a simpler breakdown of the Federal Fair Housing Act and its protections: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/fair_housing_act_overview. TRANSMISSION OF INFORMATION BETWEEN POTTER HANDY LLP AND YOU IS NOT INTENDED TO, AND WILL NOT CREATE, AN ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POTTER HANDY LLP AND YOU. This includes acceptance of service animals. AS A RESULT, YOU SHOULD NOT TRANSMIT ANY CONFIDENTIAL OR SENSITIVE INFORMATION TO US UNTIL A FORMAL ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. Housing Discrimination Attorney Housing discrimination is illegal, but it's not always easy to prove. Working behind the scenes to solve workplace issues before they become public. TALLAHASSEE Florida lawmakers next week will start the annual 60-day legislative session. Our client reviews, law firm profiles, and live chat make it easy to find the best Fair Housing lawyer for you. You do not have to accept discrimination, and working with a legal professional can help you take the necessary steps to hold the responsible parties accountable for their actions. Workplace discrimination/employment law/employment discrimination, Failure to make reasonable accommodations, Failure to grant medical leave or recognize a medical condition, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) hearings and investigations, Hostile work environment and hostile co-workers, Civil rights violations (related to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964), Racial discrimination/race discrimination, Disability discrimination (in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act), including situations related to mental disability, Housing discrimination (including violations of the Fair Employment and Housing Act). HUD complaints can be filed by mail, submitting online forms, through email, or over the phone. This means comparing your treatment to those of others to show that you were discriminated against. Housing policies, practices, terms and conditions must allow people with disabilities equal access to apartments, houses, condos and other dwellings. 312.341.9646, Woolworth Building If youve been discriminated against by a landlord, broker, real estate agent, seller, or other involved parties, do not stay silent. Equal Services, Housing for People with Disabilities. By Marcia Stewart. Click here to read the Florida Fair Housing Act in full, contained in Florida Statutes 760.20-760.37. A disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, which can include caring for ones self, walking, seeing, hearing, breathing, speaking, learning, and working. Law, Government Zola - View site in new window. But it also includes discriminatory actions that may be less obvious. Regardless of how subtle or overt the discrimination is, federal and state law is on your side. Skip to Main Content Find a Lawyer Find A Lawyer By Practice Area By Location Spanish Speaking Lawyers Canadian Lawyers For example, it is illegal to discriminate against someone in the terms or price of a real estate transaction. Housing discrimination is the illegal practice of mistreating someone looking to rent or buy a house based on race, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, or other protected classes. Currently, the FHA prohibits housing discrimination based on color, race, national origin, sex, familial status, and disability. An elderly man living in an apartment building has a physical impairment due to aging and requests that grab bars be installed in his bathroom in order to stabilize himself. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Thank you for reaching out. The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD) prohibits discrimination in housing based on actual or perceived: Race or color; Religion or creed; National origin, nationality, or ancestry; Sex, pregnancy, or breastfeeding; Sexual orientation; Gender identity or expression; Disability; Marital status or domestic partnership/civil union status; The Fair Housing Act prohibits a broad range of discriminatory activities and statements. I ignored him. If HUD determines that housing discrimination has occurred, the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division can bring the case to Federal Court. If the property your fair housing complaint is about is located in the Texas cities of Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Fort Worth or Garland, you need to contact the Local Fair Housing in those cities. Law Practice, Attorney This choice must be made. Learn more about the many federal laws that help promote equal housing opportunity for individuals with disabilities. } from Golden Gate University School of Law, and a B.S. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is suing ExxonMobil over racial discrimination after multiple nooses were found at one of the company's facilities. FindLaw.com Free, trusted legal information for consumers and legal professionals, SuperLawyers.com Directory of U.S. attorneys with the exclusive Super Lawyers rating, Abogado.com The #1 Spanish-language legal website for consumers, LawInfo.com Nationwide attorney directory and legal consumer resources. Find out if you are eligible for free legal assistance. Speak with one of our experienced and compassionate staff members who will listen, advise and assist you. According Read More , The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently reopened an investigation into Facebooks advertising practices. This can include refusing to rent or sell to someone, or treating someone differently, because of their gender. The reopened investigation follows hot on the heels of Read More , Earlier this year, a new bill was introduced in the Senate, that if passed, could significantly expand the protections offered under the Fair Housing Act (FHA). Title III of the ADA prohibits private entities that own, lease (to and from), and operate places of public accommodation from discriminating on the basis of disability and requires places of public accommodation and commercial facilities to be designed, constructed, and altered in compliance with established accessibility standards. Earlier this year, a new bill was introduced in the Senate, that if passed, could significantly expand the protections offered under the Fair Housing Act (FHA). This will be issued if HUDs investigation led them to conclude that there was a reasonable cause to believe that discrimination took place. The Office is part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). to request a review. Thats where having an experienced housing discrimination attorney is critical. That may include talking with witnesses, as well as using the court system to compel the production of evidence from the discriminatory party. If you have questions or concerns over whether you were unfairly treated, reach out to us. There is onlyonetype of housing thatmaylawfully exclude (not allow) children. Reach out to my firm, J. Courtney Cunningham PLLC, in Miami, Florida to discuss your case. Our Attorneys are licensed in IL, NY, and CA, and work with local counsel across the country. #nf-form-2-cont .nf-row:nth-child(odd) { Call the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) at 800-669-9777 (TTY: 800-927-9275), or visit HUD complaint page for information about filing a complaint. Does the Fair Housing Act apply to hotels or other properties besides rental properties? Discriminatory landowners and others have developed numerous ways to attempt to deny fair housing to others. If you have been discriminated against while renting or buying a home in violation of the Fair Housing Act, you have the right to pursue compensation for all quantifiable damages that follow. The Florida Fair Housing Act does not provide new protected traits. Here, an agent, owner, or another party explicitly admits to discriminating. According to the Commission's 2009-2010 Annual Report, over 74 percent of the cases investigated were for discrimination in employment. Property Law, Personal Injury The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing because of: Race Color National Origin Religion Sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation) Familial Status Disability What Types of Housing Are Covered? This may be in the form of a statement expressly refusing to do business on the basis of a protected class (e.g. Write down a list of all the people who were involved, such as the property management company, leasing agents, landlords, lenders, etc. Congresswoman Introduces Bill to Restore Fair Housing Protections, Bank of America Sued for Failing to Maintain Foreclosed Properties in Minority Neighborhoods, HUD Investigates Facebook Over Housing Advertisements, New Federal Bill Seeks to Expand Fair Housing Act to Cover Gender Identity. Please fax or mail the completed questionnaire to the Office of Customer Service (fax and address are listed on the last page of the questionnaire). If you feel you have been denied fair treatment during the process of securing housing due to your disability, you have options. Write down any conversations or interactions you have had (whether they happened in the past or are ongoing) to create a timeline of your experience. Code of Federal Regulations Title 24. If youve been discriminated against because of disability, race or other protected characteristic, while trying to secure housing in the state of Florida, reach out to me today in Miami, Florida to start fighting back. What parties/entities may be liable for wrongfully denying housing in Florida? Did Generally, there are two ways to demonstrate discrimination in housing. Get direction for filing a HUD complaint in languages other than English by clicking here. Here are some more examples of discrimination that you may encounter when trying to rent or purchase housing: You are told there are no pets allowed when you have a service animal, A landlord tells you one thing on the phone but changes the previous terms, pricing, or availability upon seeing you in person, A landlord refuses to provide you necessary parking accommodations, A landlord refuses to accept a voucher, like Section 8, to pay your rent, A landlord falsely denies that housing is available for rent or sale, You are told you are unable to make physical changes to your unit to accommodate your disability, The landlord tells you that kids are not welcome in the community. Evicting families from an apartment or mobile home park because it wants to change to a senior-only apartment or mobile home park. Some housing is only for people who are 62 years old or older Which means that every person who lives in this type of housing must be at least 62 years old or older. Copyright 1999-2023 LegalMatch. My landlord made a lot of comments about having sex with me. Law, About In certain circumstances, the Act exempts owner-occupied buildings with up to four units of single-family housing. Your complaint should include the facts that prove why you believe you were violated. Published Feb. 28. margin:auto; In such cases, both the broker and the contractor would be engaging in discriminatory behavior; A landlord advertising an apartment for sale and confirms with an inquiring couple, on the phone, that the unit is available. I came home one day and found him naked in my bed. Outreach and public contact, including contact with program applicants and participants. advocates on behalf of Georgia landlords who have been accused of discrimination in a housing matter. Both acts allow you to file a housing discrimination complaint through HUD or through a local enforcement agency like the FCHR within 1 year of when the last act of discrimination occurred. We work with you hand in hand to achieve the best outcome in your situation without charging a dime until weve secured compensation for you. Copied to clipboard. Under both local and Florida state law and the Fair Housing Act, you are entitled to the opportunity to rent housing or purchase a home regardless of your race, sex, nationality, or disability. Submit your case to start resolving your legal issue. of the date you received notice of the determination. The complaint is an allegation of unlawful conduct. All rights reserved. Claims against an insurance agent and insurance company where a policy was obtained on behalf of a personal staffing company; the carrier denied coverage for personal injuries sustained by a third party on the ground that coverage was for clerical error problems, not personal injury accidents, ONE CENTRAL TOWER Our law firm has over 100 years of combined experience successfully representing victims of employment discrimination. If a Determination of Reasonable Cause and a Charge of Discrimination has been issued, and neither you nor the party you filed against chose to have a federal civil trial within 20 days of receiving notice of the determination, your case will be heard by a HUD Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). Landlords are allowed to deny housing on the basis of legitimate business reasons. TOP rated Housing Discrimination lawyers in Florida Clients who need to hire a superior Housing Discrimination attorney near Florida usually look for a well-known law firm whose lawyers boast a high rating with a sufficient number of positive client testimonials. The Fair Housing Act requires multi-family housing built for first occupancy after March 13, 1991 to have certain accessibility features. In certain situations, photographs or screenshots may provide evidence of discrimination. You and the party you filed against have. Attorneys 58; Law Firms 57; Articles 0; If you or someone you love have been a victim of housing discrimination, give Hale & Monico a call. Ken is an active member of the American Bar Association, San Francisco Bar Association, and the California Lawyers for the Arts. When it comes to housing discrimination, researchers from the University of California at Berkeley released a study in 2018 that analyzed nearly seven million 30-year mortgages and found that Black and Latino applicants were charged higher interest and refinance fees when compared to white applicants. The Office of Management Information Systems and The Public Information Office, manages this site as a portal for information from the Florida Commission on Human Relations. Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida, Inc. can assist you with filing a complaint with the Department of Housing and Urban Development or you may file the complaint yourself. You can call this attorney to schedule your free initial consultation and make an appointment at 1200 S Pine Island Rd Ste 750, Plantation, FL. The Office of Management Information Systems and The Public Information Office, manages this site as a portal for information from the Florida Commission on Human Relations. Filing a private lawsuit is another option you can pursue in case of rental housing discrimination. The Fair Housing Act, which was originally adopted in 1968, prohibits discrimination in house sales, rentals, and financing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. And if youve been the victim of such treatment, you have the right to demand monetary damages. The Florida Commission on Human Relations prevents unlawful discrimination by ensuring that all people have access to equal opportunities in employment, housing, and public accommodations. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of dwellings and in other housing-related activities based on disability, among other protected classes. Examples of dissemination of false information include incorrectly stating that there are no units available, or suggesting that people who are looking to buy in one area instead buy in another based on their race. Contact me to set up an initial consultation today. Individuals who believe that they have been victims of housing discrimination can call the Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, e-mail the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov, or contact HUD at 1-800-669-9777. Racial,color, or national origin discrimination takes many forms and is in no way limited to this list, but here are some examples of what it may look like: If you are unsure whether you may have been discriminated against based on your race, color or national origin, please contact CLSMF (800-405-1417). Marr v. Riffe, 503 F.2d 735, 740 (6th Cir. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing and housing-related transactions because of disability. 727-291-1900. It would similarly be illegal to prohibit someone who is pregnant from renting.