Fair Housing For All

As we celebrate Fair Housing Month, we not only not only honor the 48th anniversary of the passing of the Fair Housing Act in 1968, but reflect on the importance of every person in America to have access to the same housing choices and economic possibilities. This year’s theme—Fair Housing For All—is a reminder of what housing really means to us.  It’s more than a brick-and-mortar structure to us and our clients—it’s a sense of security and safety; where families of all kinds are created and thrive; and where communities and businesses are built and sustained.

The Fair Housing Act protects the right of every person in America to live where they choose; “however,  many continue to have their options limited because of how they look, or where they come from, or because they have a disability,” according to Gustavo Velaquez, Assistant Secretary, Fair Housing And Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  HUD has recently issued regulations to address the Fair Housing Act and how it affects local governments receiving Community Development Block Grants and other housing funds from HUD. NAR and other organizations expect that these regulations will help communities become more active in their efforts to promote fair housing and equal opportunity.

This April, we encourage REALTORS® to learn more about the Fair Housing resources available through NAR and the REALTOR® Party, including the Fair Housing Poster and Fair Housing Focus.  As we recommit ourselves to working together to create communities of opportunity, let us reflect on Article 10 of the REALTOR® Code of Ethics, which states:

“REALTORS® shall not deny equal professional services to any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. REALTORS® shall not be parties to any plan or agreement to discriminate against a person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. REALTORS®, in their real estate employment practices, shall not discriminate against any person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.”

Let the legacy of the Fair Housing Act, as inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., be an inspiration to us all to work even harder both in our businesses and in our communities. Because that’s what REALTORS® do…and then some.