National Fair Housing Month is celebrated to be grateful for the Fair Housing Act which was passed in April. A law that forbids discrimination in buying houses through different schemes. These include discrimination in the rental, sale, and financing of houses based on color, race, and even gender.
Students often are on a hunt for housing facilities and scholarships are available to help you fund your accommodation while you are at school.
History of Fair Housing Month
April is the month when we celebrate National Fair Housing Month. In this month we feel grateful for the Fair Housing Act that was passed on April 11, 1968. This law was designed to protect Americans from facing discrimination in selling or buying houses. It is also a basic human concept, and entitlement for people. As a community, we have the right to be free of any form of discrimination. In our communities, people belonging to diverse backgrounds should be warmly welcomed as our neighbors.
In the past, people used to show discrimination towards others in terms of housing. Some of the most damaging discrimination examples are found in the past, including minority neighborhoods that were located far from quality schools, public transportation, and jobs.
The Fair Housing Act was signed by President Johnson and it was passed after the death of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was in Memphis on April 4, 1968, to support the sanitation workers strike when he was shot and killed. As a result of the tragedy, Congress collectively passed the 1968 Fair Housing Act.
Fair Housing Month timeline
The Civil Rights Act makes it illegal to discriminate in housing.
To refuse to sell or buy a property to and from a person based, on their sex, is added in the Civil Rights Act.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is shot and killed at the age of 39.
As a result of the assassination of Dr. King Jr., congress passes the Fair Housing Act.
Fair Housing Month FAQs
Who started the Fair Housing Act?
The Fair Housing Act was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968.
What age is considered elderly for housing?
The age of 55 years is considered elderly for housing.
How many federal fair housing laws are there?
There are seven federal fair housing laws.
How to Observe Fair Housing Month
Support to end discrimination in housing
Take part in activities that support the elimination of housing discrimination in your community or country.
Welcome people of different backgrounds to your neighborhood
Give a warm welcome to people moving in your community or belonging to a different background, race, or color.
Arrange seminars to create awareness about housing discrimination
Promote awareness for housing discrimination, let people know about this issue, and encourage them to raise their voices against it.
5 Interesting Facts About Fair Housing Act
It’s been around for a long time
The Fair Housing Act turned 50 years old in 2018.
There’s a special department for it
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is responsible to enforce the Fair Housing Act in the U.S.
You face huge penalties for violating the Act
For the first violation, the penalty is $16,000, for two violations in 5 years is $37,500, and for the third violation, the penalty would be $65,000.
The HUD was created in 1965 and Robert Weaver became the first secretary.
It can be handed over to the Department of Justice
When the violations of the Fair Housing Act are believed to be illegal then they are handled in the Department of Justice.
Why is Fair Housing Month Important
Fair Housing Month helps in banning discrimination that is based on race, religion, gender, and family status.
It assists in breaking old patterns of segregation and builds a prosperous community.
Promotes affordable housing
It has helped in making affordable housing possible for many working families belonging to different backgrounds, races, and colors.
Fair Housing Month dates