Intro to Fair Housing Flashcards
What is fair housing law?
Designed to prohibit discriminatory behavior.
Provide equal opportunity for people to buy/rent real estate.
How does fair housing law work?
Prohibits discrimination in real estate based on a number of protected classes.
Who has to follow fair housing law?
You as a real estate sales person, the seller, the lender; anyone involved in a real estate transaction.
Why is fair housing law important?
Shelter is a basic necessity.
Housing is a major contributor to wealth & education.
-Primary residence: Single largest contributor to most household’s net worth.
-School funding: Primarily determined by local property taxes.
-Fair & equal housing access is critical to social & economic mobility.
What was the norm until 1968?
Discrimination was historically prevalent & permitted.
US federal loan programs (FHA, VA) officially denied & limited lending in non-white communities.
Real estate agents and lenders could legally discriminate.
What was the norm until 1948?
Housing developments lawfully use racially restrictive covenants.
FHEO
The office of Fair Housing & Equal Opportunity; part of HUD.
Administers & enforces fair housing law.
Redlining
Credit discrimination
Blockbusting
Any solicitation of property for sale or lease on the grounds of an alleged change in property values due to the presence or prospective entry into a neighborhood of people covered by a protect class.
Steering
Directing clients to or away from certain areas or properties based on protected class status.
What is an “inharmonious group”?
Anyone non-white; Blacks, Asians, Jews, etc.
What happened in 1866?
The Civil Rights Act of 1866
-No discriminations based on race.
What happened in 1946?
MGL 151B (1964) -Massachusetts anti-discrimination statute.
What happened in 1964?
The Civil Rights act of 1964
-Outlawed segregation & banned public & employment discriminations based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.
What happened in 1968?
Fair Housing Act of 1968 (Title VIII of Civil Rights Act of 1968)
-Extended race, color religion, and national origin protections to private housing.
