Each April, we commemorate the passage and signing of the 1968 federal Fair Housing Act. The law prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, disabilities, family status, sexual orientation, and gender. Additional protections also apply to federally assisted housing.
The law was signed on April 11, 1968, by President Lyndon Johnson as part of the expansion of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. The law – also called Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 – was also signed 7 days after the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. After signing the Fair Housing Act into law, President Johnson stated: “Now, with this bill, the voice of justice speaks again. It proclaims that fair housing for all – all human beings who live in this country – is now part of the American way of life.”
Who Enforces the Federal Housing Act
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is charged with enforcing the Fair Housing Act. The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) investigates any complaints of discrimination that have been filed with HUD.
Fair Housing Act and Equal Housing Opportunity
You may hear the term Equal Housing Opportunity. This phrase encompasses the laws that all mortgage lenders are required to adhere to including:
- Civil Rights Act of 1866
- Fair Housing Act
- Americans with Disabilities Act
- Equal Credit Opportunity Act
- Consumer Credit Protection Act of 1968
- Home Mortgage Disclosure Act
For more information on Fair Housing and Related Laws, please CLICK HERE.
Equal Housing Opportunity. Axia Home Loans is a registered tradename of Axia Financial, LLC. NMLS 27830.