Housing Discrimination on the Rise

HOUSING DISCRIMINATION -  is on the rise both in the USA and in the UK. In America Donald Trump the Fair Housing Act is being looked into by the Trump administration. The changes means that it is much harder for people to sue banks and financial institution that use algorithms that discriminate against people based on race, religion, national origin and other protected categories.

Then, a few weeks ago, HUD the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development unveiled additional rule-rewrites diluting the obligation of cities to both develop public infrastructure in poor neighborhood of colour and also to build affordable housing across a range of locales rather than concentrating it all in a handful of places.

The Fair Housing Act (FHA), first passed in 1968 and expanded in scope in the decades following, aims to prevent deliberate discrimination in housing-related matters as well as to prevent practices that have a “disparate impact,” resulting in discriminatory outcomes even if the individuals involved weren’t intentionally trying to harm particular groups. An example might be bank lending criteria or insurance criteria that in practice make it harder for people in majority-Black neighbourhoods to secure mortgages.

Civil Rights Act of 1968 expanded on previous acts and prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, and since 1974, sex. Since 1988, the act protects people with disabilities and families with children. Pregnant women are also protected from illegal discrimination because they have been given familial status with their unborn child being the other family member. Victims of discrimination may use both the 1968 act and the 1866 act via section 1983 to seek redress. 

Critics see these civil rights fought for in the 1960's, as being watered down. 

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