If you feel concerned that you’ve experienced housing discrimination,
Call us!

If you feel you have experienced housing discrimination, please call us at 716.854.1400, stop into our offices at 1542 Main at Ferry between 9am and 1pm, or report the incident using our web form.

To learn more about your rights and how to defend them, watch this presentation about fair housing!

Call us if you encounter any of these issues! We are here to help!

  • Can a prospective landlord ask my age or if I have children?

    • No, this could be discrimination based on familial status or age.

  • Can I invite other people to live with me without putting them on the lease?

    • There are restrictions on this, but you may have one other person and their dependent children live with you.

  • We desperately need repairs but my landlord is not being responsive. What do I do?

    • You have a right to a livable, safe, and sanitary apartment. If there is a problem that you did not cause, the landlord must repair it. If the landlord doesn’t, you can file a complaint. If this happens to you, call HOME.

  • I have been unable to contact my landlord. How do I get him/her to address problems with the property?

    • It depends, but a good way is to find your landlord in person and have a witness with you to prove that you contacted your landlord.

  • In order to evict me, my landlord has shut off my heat/thrown away my belongings/shut off my water, electric, or gas. What do I do?

    • Your landlord is not allowed to do this. Call HOME.

  • When do I get my security deposit back and what can I do to avoid problems with getting it returned?

    • Your security deposit is legally your money. Unless you did damage to the property, your landlord must return it to you. If your landlord refuses, you can call HOME.

Federal and state laws prohibit discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender, disability, familial status, age, marital status, military status, and sexual orientation. Erie County also prohibits source of income discrimination (often Section 8 or security agreements) and gender identity and expression. Housing discrimination can include refusals to rent, inconsistent tenant screening processes, and different lease provisions for tenants in a protected class. If you have further questions about your rights, contact us or view our Fair Housing page.

Helpful Links

National Fair Housing Alliance
Neighborhood Legal Services
New York State Division of Human Rights
New York State Attorney General A Guide to Tenant's Rights
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Erie County Real Property Parcel Search 

WHAT IS FAIR HOUSING? WHO IS PROTECTED? WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? FIND ANSWERS HERE!

(or read the full text of fair housing laws)

WHO IS PROTECTED?

Protected classes at the federal level:

  • Race

  • Color

  • Religion

  • Sex

  • Familial Status

  • National Origin

  • Disability

Protected classes in New York State include all of the above plus:

  • Military Status

  • Sexual Orientation

  • Age

  • Creed

  • Marital Status

  • Gender Identity

  • Source of Income

  • Immigration and Citizenship Status

WHAT DOES DISCRIMINATION LOOK LIKE?

Discrimination isn’t always obvious. Any of these actions could be discrimination if they happen because of a person’s membership in one of the groups above:

  • Refusal: refusing to rent to someone

  • Misrepresentation: lying about whether a property is rented or not

  • Inconsistent terms: different rules for different tenants

  • Advertisement: showing preference for or against a certain group in ads

  • Illegal inquiries: asking questions about protected classes

  • Steering: convincing someone to live in a certain area because of stereotypes or bias

  • Coercion: coercion, intimidation, threats, harassment

  • Refusing to make reasonable accommodations or modifications for people with disabilities.