Know Your Fair Housing and Fair Lending Rights
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Fair Housing Information!
The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development has released a recent report on housing discrimination and the number of complaints being filed nationally.
Contact the City’s Fair Housing Review Board at 216-491-1440 to arrange for a presentation on fair housing, predatory lending, or training for real estate professionals.
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*** Reminder: All Realtors and all persons who operate or manage a dwelling in Shaker with more than four units must post a particular Fair Housing notice spelled out in 515.05 Cod. Ord.
How to Recognize Housing Discrimination:
Under the Ordinances of the City of Shaker Heights (see Chapter 515 "Fair Housing") and the Federal Fair Housing Act, it is against the law to discriminate in housing based upon any of the following factors:
- Race
- Color
- National Origin
- Religion
- Sex
- Handicap (if you or someone close to you has a disability)
- Familial Status (families with children under the age of 18, or who are expecting a child)
- In addition, the City has passed 515.04 Cod. Ord. to ban discrimination based on Ancestry and Sexual Orientation.
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Some courts have approved provisions requiring real estate and property management companies to keep records and file reports with the court and civil rights groups. Many have been required to put a fair housing logo in their advertisements like this.
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It is unlawful for a person, on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, handicap, ancestry, or sexual orientation, to:
- Refuse to sell, rent or to negotiate for the sale or rental of a house or an apartment or otherwise to make housing unavailable.
- Discriminate in the terms or conditions for buying or renting a house or apartment.
- Make, print, publish or post statements or advertisements that a house or apartment is available only to persons of a certain race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap.
- Represent a house or apartment as unavailable when, in fact, it is available.
- Persuade or attempt to persuade people, for profit, to sell or rent their houses or apartments by representing that minority groups are moving in the area. This conduct is commonly known as "blockbusting."
- Deny or make different terms for home loans by commercial lenders, such as bans, savings and loan associations or insurance companies.
- Deny anyone the use of real estate services, such as a broker or multiple listing service.
- Coerce, intimidate, threaten or interfere with anyone exercising or encouraging others to exercise rights granted under the ordinances of the City of Shaker Heights or the Federal Fair Housing Act.
If you believe that your fair housing rights have been violated, you may seek a remedy by contacting:
The City of Shaker Heights
Fair Housing Review Board
3400 Lee Road
Shaker Heights, OH 44120
216-491-1440
TTY 216-491-3161
The Ohio Civil Rights Commission
615 Superior Avenue N.W.
Cleveland, OH 44113
216-787-3150
TTY 216-787-3150
U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD)
Fair Housing HUB
Ralph H. Metcalfe Federal Building
77 West Jackson Boulevard, Room 2101
Chicago, IL 60604-3507
800-765-9372
TTY 800-927-9275
Additional Resources:
For landlord/tenant inquiries, contact the Cleveland Tenant's Organization (CTO) at 216-432-0617.
Answers to Fair Housing issues are available from these local fair housing organizations:
Frequently Asked "Fair Housing" Questions
