Fair Housing
NJAR® Members: Login here for
additional fair housing resources.
All citizens have the right to obtain
housing without being discriminated against.
The
Fair Housing Act,
which was enacted on April 11, 1968, prohibits
discrimination in the sale, rental, and
financing of dwellings, and in other
housing-related transactions, based on race,
color, national origin, religion, sex,
familial status (including children under
the age of 18 living with parents of legal
custodians, pregnant women, and people
securing custody of children under the age
of 18), and handicap (disability).
This year marks the 41st anniversary
of the Fair Housing Act.
The
New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD)
also prohibits discrimination when selling
or renting property. It covers owners,
agents, employees and brokers and makes it
unlawful to refuse to rent, show or sell
property based on a person's race, creed,
color, national origin, nationality,
ancestry, marital status, domestic
partnership status, familial status, gender
identity or expression, affectional or
sexual orientation, sex, or mental and
physical disability, including AIDS and
HIV-related illness.
Click here for the
Attorney General's Memorandum which requires
all licensees to provide a property owner
with a summary of the New Jersey Law Against
Discrimination at the time of the taking of
any listing of residential property.
REALTORS® support fair housing by adhering
to a strict
Code of Ethics. The Code sets
forth standards of practice which include a
REALTORS®' duties to not deny equal
professional services to any person for
reasons of race, color, religion, sex,
handicap, familial status, or national
origin.
What You Need to Know about Fair Housing
- It is illegal to deny that housing is
available for inspection, sale or rent when
it really is available
- No discriminatory advertising of any kind
relating to the proposed sale or rental is
permitted
- A landlord may not charge a tenant with a
disability an extra fee for keeping a
service/guide dog
- It is illegal for a landlord or real
estate professional to refuse to rent:
• To a single mother with children if this
decision is based on her marital status or
domestic partnership status
• A one bedroom apartment to two members of
the same sex, if they are otherwise
qualified
• To an individual with a mental or physical
disability
• To a person with AIDS or HIV infection or
to someone perceived to have AIDS or HIV
infection
