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Education for Justice |
FACT SHEET H-6 |
Fall
2011 |
HOUSING
DISCRIMINATION
WHAT KINDS OF
DISCRIMINATION ARE ILLEGAL?
In
|
·
Race |
·
Family
Status (having kids or being pregnant) |
·
Disability |
|
·
Sex |
·
Public
Assistance ( |
·
National
Origin |
|
·
Color |
·
Sexual
Preference |
·
Age
( |
|
·
Religion |
·
Marital
Status (being single or divorced) |
·
Creed
(beliefs) |
WHAT ARE COMMON EXAMPLES OF
DISCRIMINATION?
Application Denials
·
When you call on the phone, the apartment is
available. But when the landlord sees
the color of your skin, it is “already rented.”
·
The landlord says “no MFIP” or “no welfare.”
·
You get turned down because you have a
disability, even though your disability would not keep you from following the
lease. See our fact sheet H-9
Reasonable Accommodations.
·
The landlord says “no kids,” but it is not a
seniors-only building or an owner-occupied building with 4 units or less.
·
The apartment manager treats the people who
apply differently. For example, they
tell people who get welfare they need an income of 3 times the rent, but they
do not tell that to people with jobs.
·
Your application is never processed because of
your religion.
Different Treatment
·
The caretaker makes repairs for white tenants
before tenants of color.
·
The manager punishes lease violations more strictly
if they are by people of color.
·
The landlord will not make a simple change in
the rules to let a person with a disability live there successfully. Like allowing a companion animal. See our fact sheet H-7
Can I Keep a Pet?
·
There are special rules for children.
·
The manager only shows you apartments in certain
areas but there are other apartments available.
Harassment
·
The caretaker pressures you to date him, and
lets himself into your apartment. See
our fact sheet H-24 Sexual Harassment in
Housing.
·
The security guard treats your visitors
differently, because they are American Indian.
·
The neighbors try to force you out of the
neighborhood with racial insults or threats.
WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT?
If you are turned down for an
apartment and you suspect discrimination, call the numbers below for help right
away. You can have someone you know call
the landlord and apply, and see how the landlord treats that person. For example, if you suspect
discrimination based on race, see if a white person gets treated better. Keep notes on what happened each time and who
you and your friend each talked to.
If you are being treated badly or
harassed where you live, write a letter to the owner. Keep a copy of it and of any evidence of the
discrimination. Try to have witnesses
who can see or hear it and keep their contact information. Write down notes every time something
happens. If the discrimination does not
stop, or if you are in danger, call for help.
LAWSUITS AND AGENCY COMPLAINTS
You can start a lawsuit to stop the discrimination and
sometimes get money damages. If you need
quick action to get an apartment you were denied, to stop harassment, or to
avoid an eviction, a lawsuit may be your best bet. If you have a low income, call your legal aid
office.
If you have a low
income, call:
Housing
Discrimination Law Project (612) 334-5970 or
Housing
Equality Law Project, (651) 222-4731.
You can also look for help from government agencies that enforce
housing discrimination laws. They will
investigate at no charge to you. If they
find discrimination, they will see if an agreement can be reached. If no agreement is reached, the agency may
file a case against the person who discriminated against you. 2 of these agencies are:
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Housing and Urban Development |
MN Department of Human Rights |
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Freeman
Building |
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625 Robert St
North |
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Phone: (800)
424-8590 |
St. Paul, MN
55155 |
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TDD: (800)
543-8294 |
Phone: (651) 539-1100
or 1(800) 657-3704 |
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TTY: (651)
296-1283 |
Whatever you do, act fast.
In most cases, you need to file a complaint or lawsuit within 1 or
sometimes 2 years.
|
MN Legal Services Coalition |
Do not use this fact
sheet if it is more than 1 year old. Write us for updates, a fact sheet list, or alternate formats. Fact Sheets are not a complete answer to a legal problem. See a lawyer for
advice. |
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© 2011 Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance. This document may be reproduced and
used for non-commercial personal and educational purposes
only. All other rights reserved. This notice must remain on all
copies. Reproduction, distribution,
and use for commercial purposes are strictly prohibited. |
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To find other Legal
Aid Society materials, including any fact sheets mentioned in this
document, go to www.lawhelpmn.org/LASMfactsheets.