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When an individual rents or sells a house or dwelling, he or she can experience discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, national origin, and familial status. The Fair Housing Act is therefore created to safeguard these people from being discriminated on such grounds. Housing that are provided by state and local governments, private housing and housing that has federal loans and other assistance are covered by these housing rights. Below are answers to few of the more common legal questions about laws on fair housing: What are my legal options to fight a case where the by-laws of the condo I stay in do not allow me to keep a dog in my house as per the no-dog rule? However, in my doctor’s letter it is mentioned that for my mental stability I should keep a dog at home. I live in Maryland.
Usually, according to the housing by-laws, a service dog is the only type of a dog that you would be allowed to keep in your condo. This is because these dogs are trained especially for specific purposes such as assisting people who have hearing or sight impairments. However, the no-dog rule of your association would most likely apply to you, if you keep a pet completely for the purpose of companionship. The laws of your association would not listen to you even if you say that it is there for your emotional stability and well-being. Therefore, in a situation like this, what you could do is speak to your physician about this no-dog rule and check with him if it is possible for him to provide you with a professional opinion certifying that you suffer from a disability that needs a dog treatment. In that case, it is likely that the association would have to pay attention to your case and act as per the rules specified in the law. However, if your association refuses to take any legal action in this, then you may consider approaching HUD and filing a complaint against your association for violating the rules of the housing act. What legal actions can we take if the city itself discriminates against the seniors in a house-related issue in Bellevue? The city officials have refused to abide by the rules and regulations of the housing act and on top of that challenged us to report them.
In a case like this, you could report your city to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) office that is situated closest to your locality. Moreover, you could try and file a complaint with them about the violation of the housing act done by your city. What are the rights that the Home Owners Association (HOA) can use to restrict the selling or renting of a unit? How can those rights be impacted by the Fair Housing Act?
Usually, if a person wants to sell or rent his or her property in a particular area, then it is not possible for the Home Owners Association or HOA to pose a restriction in doing that. Moreover, it is a considered as an outlaw for the HOA to discriminate any individual from selling or renting a property like a house on grounds of color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sex, and disability. However, if a person decides to give his or her house on rent that is situated in the Association area, then the HOA could restrict its rules regarding that matter. Usually, the rules and regulations specified under the housing act is different from the ones laid down by the HOA. However, in a situation like this, the laws specified by the housing act would outweigh, despite the variation in rules. A tenant can file a complaint against their landlords if they experience any type of discrimination from them under the Fair Housing Act as a violation of the rules laid down by the act. Therefore, it is very essential for both the tenant and the landlord to understand how the act works. If you need any clarification about your particular situation on the subject, you may wish to ask a real estate lawyer for legal insight based on an expert evaluation of your circumstances.
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Fair, Housing, Act, Regulations,
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