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- Home
- Fair Housing

Fair housing

Accessible housing for everyone

Whether you live in a city, residential area, or rural neighborhood, finding safe, economical housing can be a challenge.

Fortunately, our laws protect your right to choose where to live without discrimination based on race, religious beliefs, sex, or a variety of other attributes.

Federal and our state laws in New york city exist to ensure that equal housing opportunities are available to all. Some local federal governments offer a lot more defenses. This guidance describes some of those laws and includes info about what to do if you think a proprietor, seller, or loan provider has victimized you.

Housing is among life's basics; it is essential that everybody has access to it, free from discrimination. If you have any concerns or concerns,
please call my office.

Fair housing laws: how we are secured

The federal Fair Housing Act, the New York State Human Rights Law, and numerous local laws forbid discrimination by housing service providers (consisting of owners, property representatives, handling agents, building superintendents, and cooperative and condominium boards), and lenders (banks and mortgage companies).

- The Federal Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to discriminate on the basis of a person's race, familial status (presence of kids under age 18), color, nationwide origin, religion, special needs (physical or mental), or sex.
- The New York State Human Rights Law covers all the very same attributes, and also secures versus discrimination based upon creed, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, or lawful income (public or housing help, Social Security, additional security earnings, pension, kid assistance, alimony, foster care subsidies, annuities, or unemployment advantages). Many city governments have extra protections. The New York City City Human Rights Law also covers: gender, citizenship status, partnership status, and lawful occupation.

Most housing is included

In the state of New york city, anti-discrimination laws cover most types of housing, with 4 main exceptions:

- one- or two-family owner-occupied structures
- room rentals in housing for individuals of the exact same sex, such as college dorms or boarding homes where all locals are of the same sex
- housing planned for individuals over the age of 55, or over the age of 62
- room leasings in owner-occupied housing

Prohibited actions

These laws apply to the sale or leasing of housing and likewise to mortgage financing and offer defenses versus various types of housing discrimination consisting of the following:

- rejection to make affordable modifications to a residence or typical usage area to accommodate a person's impairment
- refusal to clear up lodgings in policies or services if required for disabled persons to use the housing

In addition, any multifamily housing built after 1991 must abide by ease of access requirements.

Repairing the damage

If it is discovered that discrimination has actually happened, steps might be taken to remedy the situation. These can consist of:

- requiring changes in policies and practices
- making the housing or loan available
- assessing cash damages or attorney costs or Imposing civil fines and penalties

If you have questions or believe you have been a victim of housing discrimination, the following firms may be able to help. You can find contact details for each at the bottom of this websites.

- The Civil Liberty Bureau of the Office of the New York State Attorney General examines and prosecutes discriminatory 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 handles specific problems of discrimination. You have one year after an alleged offense to file a grievance.
- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) handles individual grievances of discrimination based upon the federal Fair Housing Act. You have one year after a supposed offense to submit a complaint.
- The New York City Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) deals with individual grievances of discrimination based upon the New york city City Human Rights Law.

You have one year after a supposed violation to file a problem. You are prevented from suing with CCHR if you have already filed the exact same claim based on the exact same facts with another company or in court.

Office of the New York City State Attorney General Civil Rights Bureau
28 Liberty Street
New York NY 10005
212-416-8250
1-800-788-9898 (TDD).
Civil Rights 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 NY 10007.
212-306-7450.
nyc.gov/ humanrights

Letitia James

New York City State Attorney General

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