Legal & Compliance
It's not just a nice thing to talk about — it's the law.
Federal and state fair housing laws were put into effect to create an even playing field for homebuyers in all areas of a real estate transaction. These laws prohibit discrimination based on:
The federal Civil Rights Act of 1866 prohibits discrimination in housing because of race or color in the sale or rental of property. This Act provided for private rights of action, but there were no federal enforcement provisions.
In leading or selling residential property, the Civil Rights Act of 1968 expands the definition of discrimination to include not only race, but also national origin, color, and religion. The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 further broadens the definition to include age, sex, and handicapped status.
The federal Fair Housing Act of 1988 and Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 constitute the Fair Housing Act. The Act makes fair housing a national policy throughout the U.S. It prohibits discrimination in the sale, lease or rental of housing, or making housing otherwise unavailable because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin.
Title III of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in commercial facilities and places of public accommodation.
The federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act makes it unlawful to discriminate against anyone on a credit application due to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age or because all or part of an applicant's income comes from any public assistance program.
CAL RE Group is committed to upholding fair housing principles in every transaction. If you believe your rights have been violated, contact the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).