The Importance of Fair Housing Legislation: Ensuring Equal Access to Housing for All Americans

Fair housing legislation was created in response to the widespread housing discrimination that occurred in the United States throughout the 20th century. Prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it was legal to discriminate against people seeking housing based on their race, religion, national origin, and other factors.This discrimination was often enforced through the use of “redlining,” a practice in which banks and other lending institutions would refuse to lend money or provide mortgages to people who lived in certain areas or who belonged to certain racial or ethnic groups.The Fair Housing Act of 1968, also known as Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act, was passed to address this discrimination and to promote fair and equal access to housing for all Americans. The Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and familial status.The creation of fair housing legislation was an important step towards promoting equal opportunities for all Americans, regardless of their background or circumstances. Today, we continue to work towards these goals by upholding fair housing principles in all of our practices and supporting legislation that promotes equal access to housing.At Coldwell Banker Heritage, we are committed to upholding fair housing principles in all of our practices and we are proud to support the goals of fair housing legislation. We believe that everyone should be treated with respect and given a fair chance to find the home of their dreams.