On May 3, 2012, U.S. District Court Judge Denise Cote held that the Westchester County, New York, violated a 2010 consent decree designed to address racial and ethnic segregation in the County. The ruling concerned legislation in the County that would have prohibited landlords from considering a tenant’s “source of income” in making rental decisions. Under the terms …
HUD
NC Fair Housing Project Awarded New HUD Grant
On May 9, 2012, the Fair Housing Project of Legal Aid of North Carolina was awarded a $325,000 grant to allow it to continue its enforcement and education work throughout the State during 2012-2013. The one-year grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will fund legal assistance and referral services to …
Justice Dept. Settles Lending Suit Involving Pregnancy Discrimination
On April 30, 2012, the United States Department of Justice announced the settlement of a lawsuit against the Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC) for discriminating against women on maternity leave in violation of the Fair Housing Act. According to its press release, the settlement is the DOJ’s first involving discrimination against women and families in mortgage …
44th Anniversary of Fair Housing Act
April 11, 2012, marks the 44th anniversary of the signing of the federal Fair Housing Act. The law’s enactment came after several years of debate in Congress and was spurred by the April 4, 1968, assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The original 1968 fair housing law prohibited discrimination based on race, color, …
Registration is Now Open for April Fair Housing Conference
Registration is now open for the 10th Annual Fair Housing Conference to be held in Raleigh, NC, on Friday, April 27, 2012. The conference, “Ensuring Fair Housing for All in North Carolina,” will feature keynote speaker John Trasviña, the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. …
HUD, NFHA Launch Media Campaign to Fight Housing Discrimination
On February 22, 2012, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) announced the launch of a new series of radio and print public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to teach individuals and families how to recognize and report discrimination in housing because of race, color, sex, religion, national …
HUD Issues Final Rule Prohibiting LGBT Discrimination
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development issued a final rule on February 3, 2012, requiring equal access to housing in HUD programs without regard to sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status. In its summary of the rule, which will take effect on March 5, 2012, HUD noted that it had previously issued a …
HUD Assistant Secretary to Speak at April Fair Housing Conference
John Trasviña, the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, will be the keynote speaker at the “Ensuring Fair Housing for All in North Carolina” Conference in Raleigh, NC. The conference, to be held on Friday, April 27, 2012, at the DoubleTree by Hilton, located at 1707 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, …
HUD Secretary Announces Upcoming Rule Prohibiting LGBT Discrimination
HUD Secretary Shaun Donavan announced that the Department of Housing and Urban Development will be publishing a final rule in the next week to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and transgender status. The rule, which Secretary Donovan announced in a talk before the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force on January 28, …