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- Home
- Fair Housing

Fair housing

Accessible housing for everybody

Whether you reside in a city, residential area, or rural neighborhood, finding safe, budget-friendly housing can be a challenge.

Fortunately, our laws safeguard your right to choose where to live without discrimination based on race, faith, sex, or a number of other attributes.

Federal and our state laws in New york city exist to make sure that equivalent housing opportunities are offered to all. Some local federal governments offer a lot more protections. This guidance describes a few of those laws and includes details about what to do if you think a landlord, seller, or lending institution has actually victimized you.

Housing is one of life's basics; it is crucial that everyone has access to it, devoid of discrimination. If you have any questions or concerns,
please contact my office.

Fair housing laws: how we are protected

The federal Fair Housing Act, the New York City State Human Rights Law, and numerous regional laws forbid discrimination by housing companies (consisting of owners, realty representatives, managing agents, developing superintendents, and cooperative and condo boards), and lending institutions (banks and mortgage companies).

- The Federal Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to discriminate on the basis of a person's race, familial status (existence of children under age 18), color, national origin, religious beliefs, impairment (physical or mental), or sex.
- The New York State Human Rights Law covers all the exact same qualities, and likewise safeguards versus discrimination based upon creed, age, sexual preference, gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, or legal source of income (public or housing support, Social Security, additional security income, pension, child assistance, alimony, foster care aids, annuities, or unemployment advantages). Many city governments have extra protections. The New York City City Human Rights Law likewise covers: gender, citizenship status, partnership status, and lawful occupation.

Most housing is included

In the state of New York, anti-discrimination laws cover most types of housing, with four primary exceptions:

- one- or two-family owner-occupied structures
- space leasings in housing for people of the same sex, such as college dorm rooms or boarding homes where all homeowners are of the same sex
- housing intended for people over the age of 55, or over the age of 62
- space leasings in owner-occupied housing

Prohibited actions

These laws use to the sale or rental of housing and likewise to mortgage financing and offer protections versus different kinds of housing discrimination consisting of the following:

- refusal to clear up adjustments to a house or common use area to accommodate an individual's special needs
- rejection to make sensible accommodations in policies or services if necessary for disabled persons to utilize the housing

In addition, any multifamily housing built after 1991 should adhere to ease of access requirements.

Repairing the damage

If it is discovered that discrimination has taken place, steps may be taken to correct the circumstance. These can consist of:

- needing changes in policies and practices
- making the housing or loan offered
- assessing cash damages or lawyer costs or Imposing civil fines and charges

If you have questions or think you have been a victim of housing discrimination, the following agencies may have the ability to assist. You can find contact info for each at the bottom of this web page.

- The Civil Rights Bureau of the Office of the New York State Attorney general of the United States examines and prosecutes inequitable policies and patterns or practices of discrimination. The bureau is devoted to combating housing discrimination throughout the state.
- The New York State Division of Human Rights manages private problems of discrimination. You have one year after a supposed violation to submit a grievance.
- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) deals with private complaints of discrimination based on the federal Fair Housing Act. You have one year after an alleged infraction to submit a problem.
- The New York City Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) handles individual grievances of discrimination based upon the New York City Human Rights Law.

You have one year after a supposed violation to submit a complaint. You are prevented from suing with CCHR if you have already submitted the same claim based upon the very same realities with another agency or in court.

Office of the New York City State Chief Law Officer Civil Rights Bureau
28 Liberty Street
New York City NY 10005
212-416-8250
1-800-788-9898 (TDD).
Civil Liberty Bureau

New York State Division of Human Rights.
One Fordham Plaza, fourth Floor.
Bronx NY 10458.
1-888-392-3644.
718-741-8300 (TDD/TTY).
dhr.ny.gov

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Housing Enforcement Center.
26 Federal Plaza, Room 3541.
New York City NY 10278-0068.
212-264-8000.
212-264-0927 (TTY).
Hud.gov

New York City City Human Rights Commission.
22 Reade Street, First Floor.
New York City NY 10007.
212-306-7450.
nyc.gov/ humanrights

Letitia James

New York City State Attorney General Of The United States

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