Settlement in Landmark Appraisal Discrimination Case
By: Hope Williams, Supervising Attorney, Legal Aid of North Carolina – Fair Housing Project A settlement promising a significant impact on the home appraisal industry has been reached between the plaintiffs and one of the defendants, loanDepot.com, LLC, in a landmark appraisal discrimination case. As reported in the Fair Housing Project of Legal Aid of... Read More
HUD Charges Appraiser, Appraisal Management Company, and Lender with Race Discrimination
In July, 2024, HUD announced that it has charged an appraiser, appraisal management company, and lender with race discrimination for issuing a biased appraisal and then denying a refinance loan application in Denver, Colorado. HUD’s Charge alleges that the appraiser issued a discriminatory appraisal that undervalued a Black homeowner’s property, located in a predominantly white neighborhood,... Read More
New HUD Guidance: Guidance on the Application of the Fair Housing Act to the Screening of Applicants for Rental Housing
HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity issued new guidance in April on the Fair Housing Act’s application to tenant screening practices. The Guidance discusses how housing providers and companies that offer tenant screening services can screen applicants for rental housing in a nondiscriminatory way and recommends best practices for complying with the Fair... Read More
New Resource: Renting with a Criminal Background – A Fair Housing Guide
Individuals with criminal histories face barriers to obtaining and maintaining housing because of their criminal record. The FHA applies to housing policies and practices to screen, deny housing, deny lease renewal, evict, or otherwise exclude people from housing because of a criminal background. Legal Aid of North Carolina is pleased to announce a new resource: Renting with... Read More
Fair Housing Settlement Reduces Barriers for Heirs’ Property Owners to Access Disaster Recovery Funds
Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Fair Housing Project announced in April a Conciliation and Voluntary Compliance Agreement, resolving a housing discrimination complaint filed against the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR). The complaint was filed on behalf of an individual whose application to the ReBuild NC Homeowner Recovery Program was rejected due to... Read More
Upcoming Fair Housing Trainings
The Fair Housing Project of Legal Aid of North Carolina is pleased to announce free basic and advanced fair housing trainings, in partnership with the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency. Register for specific trainings using the links below. September 2024 Fair Housing I Trainings for Housing Providers and Service Providers (virtual only): September 18, 2024... Read More
HUD Update: HUD Negotiates Agreement with Harris County, Texas, to Ensure Equitable Use of Disaster Recovery Funds
HUD recently announced a Voluntary Compliance Agreement/Conciliation Agreement resolving allegations that Harris County, Texas (the County), discriminated on the basis of race and national origin in its design and operation of its Post Disaster Relocation and Buyout Program. The complaint alleged that the County operated a mandatory buyout program in predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods, while offering... Read More