Home Seekers
Fair Housing is Your Right!
Know Your Rights
Federal
and New York state fair housing laws make it illegal to deny housing to a person
on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability,
familial status, age, marital status, military status and sexual orientation.
Local ordinances in Buffalo, Hamburg and West Seneca, New York prohibit
discrimination on the basis of lawful source of income (that is income from
working or from a government program such as Section 8). Buffalo's fair housing
ordinance also prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity and
expression.
For more information on your rights as a tenant, please click here. (linked to state's tenant's rights guide).
Fair housing laws also make it illegal:
- To steer people to different housing opportunities.
- To publish advertisements or make statements which discriminate (for example, ads that state "no children" or "great for students").
- To ask questions or record information about an applicant's race, disability, age (date of birth), etc.
- To deny housing because of one's membership in a protected class (for example, a landlord saying that the building is not equipped for disabled tenants).
- To pretend housing is not available.
- To discriminate in the terms and conditions of a sale or rental (for example, charging different rents to people for the exact same housing unit).
- To refuse to allow a disabled person the right to make "reasonable modifications" to the dwelling to make it easier to live (for example, putting grab bars in the bathroom).
- To refuse to make "reasonable accommodations" in the policies or procedures of the housing unit to make it easier for the disabled person to live (for example, allowing a person to pay rent in midmonth because that is when a social security check comes in).
- To sexually harass tenants in any way (for example, asking for sexual favors in return for repairs or rental discounts).
- To block-bust neighborhoods due to a member of a protected class moving into the neighborhood (for example, group homes moving into the area resulting in other residents selling their homes for fear that property values will fall).
You are protected!
Fair housing laws protect everyone whether you are a renter, homebuyer, realtor, or landlord. Housing Opportunities Made Equal believes that fair housing is in everyone's best interest. When segments of the population are denied housing opportunities, they are also denied equal access to schools, public transportation, areas of businesses and other services. In effect, it is denying victims of discrimination an equal opportunity in life.
Signs of Discrimination
The language of discrimination can be clear, such as: "We don't rent to your kind of people." Or: "I won't rent to you because your kids could fall off the balcony and you can sue me."
More often discrimination is hidden in language like this:
- "I don't think you would be happy in this neighborhood."
- "We don't have any listings for you now."
- "In the winter, this place costs a fortune to heat!"
- "Sorry, that apartment was just rented. I doubt we will have anything available soon."
- "With young children, would you feel safe living on a busy street like this?"
If you think you are being discriminated against, contact us right away.
Not only will you be ensuring fair housing for yourself, but you will also be helping your community. For contact information, click here. If you choose to e-mail us, please be sure to include a daytime telephone number and an address where a fair housing counselor can reach you.
If you are interested in learning more about your rights, please consider attending one of our fair housing presentations. For more information about our presentations, please contact us.
