Government Housing Laws
U.S. government housing laws are aimed at making public housing in the United States more affordable and to prevent discrimination within the U.S. housing market. Such laws became necessary as many citizens who live below the poverty level are unable to afford residential dwellings. Government housing policies are very important to individuals who have encountered discrimination and found it difficult to buy a property of their own -- even when were able to afford such dwellings. This article will discuss the government housing laws in the United States.
Other People Are Reading
-
History of Housing Laws in the United States
-
Housing laws in the United States date back to the year 1913, during the WWI era. At that time, the government decided to make home mortgage interest payments tax deductible. It took another 20 years, during the depression of the early 1930s, for Congress to intervene in the U.S. housing markets in a more meaningful manner. The U.S. government, through the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933, began clearing slums and building low-cost housing. The Housing Act of 1949 expanded public housing development. The modern housing involvement of the government began in 1968 with the Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which led to the Fair Housing Acts.
Fair Housing Acts
-
Fair housing laws prevent the use of discrimination to deny Americans the right to rent or buy residential properties. It totally forbids discrimination in all aspects of housing, including mortgage financing. Furthermore, the Fair Housing Acts stipulate that the ability of Americans to rent or buy a home must not be based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, or familial status -- such as offspring or children under the age of 18 years. It also forbids housing discrimination against handicapped persons.
-
Role of HUD
-
The U.S. Housing and Urban Development Agency (HUD) administers the fair housing laws in the United States. The organization itself came into existence through the creation of the Fair Housing Acts in 1968. In 1988, new amendments to the Fair Housing laws increased the role of HUD in administering the government's housing initiatives. The agency moved from its traditional role of conciliation and investigating housing complaints into the realm of mandatory enforcement. The Office of Fair Housing within HUD oversees the agency's mandatory enforcement operations.
Section 8 Housing Laws
-
Section 8 Housing laws came into existence in 1988. Through this program, the government offers housing assistance certificates and vouchers to low-income Americans. Such vouchers may be used toward housing payments if the income of the tenant falls within the designated poverty levels. Those qualified under the Section 8 program must pay a percentage of the housing cost (30%). The government, through HUD, will pay the landlord or owner of the property the remaining 70% of the rental fee.
Important New Inclusions in the U.S. Housing Laws
-
In 1995, Congress passed a new act called the Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA). This act was aimed at providing affordable dwellings to older citizens above the age of 55. Residential dwellings, that qualify, are classified and designated as such. Any unit designated under the Older Persons Act must have at least one person living inside the unit who is over the age of 55. For any property to be included in the program, it must have a minimum of 80% of the units occupied by individuals older than 55 years.
-
