When we say “April” what do you think of? Flowers, silly pranks, the start of beautiful weather? At Nevada Rural Housing Authority we think of Fair Housing - April is National Fair Housing Month. President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act on April 11, 1968 that made fair housing law.

Title VIII of this act, commonly known as the Fair Housing Act, prohibits discrimination in the sale and rental of residential housing. The act was designed to eradicate a wide range of discriminatory practices that, by the late 1960s, had resulted in segregation of minorities in major cities.

Would you know if you were being discriminated against? Would you know whom to contact? We want to bring awareness, not only to our clients, but to anyone who has been a victim of housing discrimination. We want to provide people with the tools to do something about it. Below are a few examples of housing discrimination and links for more information.

All employees at Nevada Rural Housing Authority attend Fair Housing training annually and are required to treat everyone equally.

IT IS ILLEGAL for landlords, real estate brokers, banks or other lending institutions and insurance providers to discriminate against you because of your Race & Color, National Origin, Religion, Familial Status, Sex or Handicap.

Some acts of discrimination are very obvious: “I can’t rent to you because you don’t go to the same church as me” (Discrimination based on religion), "We don’t rent our units to young men; you might get too loud." (Discrimination based on sex).

However, some housing discrimination is more subtle: "We have a special area of our complex for families with small children.” (Discrimination based on familial status). “Because you are in a wheel chair I will have to require an additional deposit in case the carpet gets ruined.” (Discrimination based on disabilities)

No one should leave a leasing/purchasing office feeling as if they have something to be ashamed of. All renters and buyers have the same rights to housing.

FHEO (Fair Housing/Equal Opportunity) and its partners in the Fair Housing Assistance Program investigate over 10,000 housing discrimination complaints annually. People who believe they are the victims of housing discrimination should contact HUD at 1-800-669-9777.

Visit these web sites for more information:

1. National Fair Housing Advocate Online

2. HUD

3. Silver State Fair Housing