Are You a Victim of Housing Discrimination?

More than two million instances of housing discrimination occur annually, but fewer than one percent of the victims filed complaints, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

HUD regulations say that federal laws are in place to protect people against housing discrimination based on "race, color, national origin, religion, sex, family status, or disability." No mention is made of age discrimination, but if you are older and have a disability, you would qualify to file a complaint if you feel you are the victim of housing discrimination.

If you think you may be a victim of housing discrimination, because of your age or a disability, there are resources you can use to get help:

• File a housing discrmination complaint with HUD

  This HUD page gives instructions for filing a housing discrimination complaint online or by mail.[/li]

• National Fair Housing Alliance

  The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) is a membership organization calling itself "the only national organization dedicated solely to ending discrimination in housing." NFHA promotes equal housing, lending and insurance opportunities through education, enforcement, training and advocacy. The NFHA site offers news about anti-discrimination claims and a list of resources and agencies by state.

More Housing Discrimination Resources from HUD

• HUD Answers Common Questions about Disabilities Rights and Resources
• What You Should Know about Senior Housing and the Fair Housing Act