The first-ever national study of housing discrimination against same-sex couples, released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on June 18, 2013, found that same-sex couples experience unequal treatment in the rental of housing more often than heterosexual couples in every metropolitan area studied. The study further found that gay male couples experience …
fair housing act
Study Finds More Subtle Housing Discrimination Persists in US
A new report released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on June 11, 2013, finds that while blatant acts of housing discrimination have declined in the U.S., “more subtle forms of housing denial stubbornly persist” in both the rental and sales markets. The study, titled “Housing Discrimination Against Racial and Ethnic Minorities 2012,” was …
Wells Fargo Bank Settles Fair Housing Complaint Over REO Property Maintenance
On June 6, 2013, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., will invest $39 million in 45 communities across the country to settle a fair housing complaint over how it maintained Real Estate Owned (REO) property in a number of communities across the country. REO property is property that a …
HUD Issues Guidance on Community-Based Housing for People with Disabilities
On June 4, 2013, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued new guidance to “encourage participation in state efforts” to assist individuals with disabilities who are “moving out of institutions and into [community-based] housing.” The guidance, titled “Statement of the Department of Housing and Urban Development on the Role of Housing in …
HUD Issues Guidance on Assistance Animals and Reasonable Accommodations for People with Disabilities
On April 25, 2013, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released new guidance regarding “service animals” and “assistance animals” for people with disabilities. The notice, signed by HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity John Trasviña, explains housing providers’ obligations under the Fair Housing Act and Section 504 of the …
HUD Issues Fair Housing “Disparate Impact” Rule
On February 8, 2013, HUD announced that it was publishing a new rule implementing the Fair Housing Act’s discriminatory effects (“disparate impact”) standard. While in most cases an individual bringing a complaint under the Fair Housing Act must show that the opposing party acted with an intent to discriminate, under the disparate impact theory, an individual …
HUD Settles with Bank of America Over LGBT Discrimination
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that it had settled a discrimination complaint with Bank of America for allegedly refusing to provide a mortgage loan to a lesbian couple from Florida. According to a press release issued by HUD, the agreement is the first enforcement action taken against a lender involving …
Developer to Retrofit NC Apartments to Meet Accessibility Requirements
On November 14, 2012, the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) and the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) announced that they had settled a housing discrimination lawsuit with HHHunt Corporation, a Virginia-based real estate development company that operates apartment complexes in North Carolina, among other states. According to the press release announcing the settlement, HHHunt “agreed to retrofit inaccessible …
Morgan Stanley Sued for Discriminating in Mortgage Lending
On October 15, 2012, five Detroit residents and Michigan Legal Services sued Morgan Stanley for discriminating against African American homeowners by “providing strong incentives to a subprime lender to originate mortgages that were likely to be foreclosed on.” In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs are asking the court to certify a class action that could have …
Fair Housing Groups File Discrimination Complaint Against Bank of America
On September 25, 2012, the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) and five of its member organizations announced that they had filed a federal housing discrimination complaint against Bank of America Corporation, Bank of America, N.A., and BAC Home Loan Servicing, LP. The complaint, which was filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), alleges …