How to Enforce Fair Housing Laws for the Disabled

Fair housing laws exist on the local, state and federal level, which can create a confusing collection of law for both people with disabilities who are seeking housing and housing providers. Enforcing fair housing laws for the disabled rests on understanding the laws and how to report violations. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Find out what fair housing and anti-discrimination ordinances exist in your community and what local enforcement agencies do to help enforce them. Contact your local city hall, either online or via phone, to learn about the local ordinances and how to report a violation.
2. Investigate the fair housing laws in your state. Check with your state attorney general to understand your state's laws and how they are enforced. You can also find out about reporting violations of the state's fair housing laws from the state attorney general.
3. Learn about federal law that prohibits housing discrimination, which is the Fair Housing Act as Amended in 1988, enforced primarily by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). You can read the federal law in full on HUD's website.
4. Educate others about the laws. Housing providers and people with disabilities both need to understand the full scope of the laws. Organize a community seminar to alert people to their rights and responsibilities under the law.
5. Offer grants to housing providers to make housing more accessible, or locate grants in your own community. Often, housing providers want to provide equal access to housing for the disabled, but don't have the funds to make their properties accessible.
6. File a complaint with the appropriate agency when you witness discrimination, depending upon which level of ordinance or law was violated. Each city and state has their own method of filing complaints, which you can find out from your city hall and state attorney general. Federal violations should be reported to your regional office of the HUD, which can be found on their website.
7. Await the results of the investigation. If the investigation shows that discrimination took place, the housing provider will be educated about their responsibilities in providing equal access to housing for the disabled. If the housing provider is unresponsive, HUD may take legal action.
8. Hire a civil rights attorney if you sue a housing provider for violating fair housing laws. Though this can be expensive, some attorneys work on a contingency basis if a settlement is likely.