Report Housing Discrimination
If you believe your rights may have been violated, we encourage you to report housing discrimination. Because there are time limits on when an allegation can be filed with HUD after an alleged violation, you should report housing discrimination as soon as possible. When reporting housing discrimination, please provide as much information as possible, including:
Your name and address
The name and address of the person(s) or organization your allegation is against
The address or other identification of the housing or program involved
A short description of the event(s) that cause you to believe your rights were violated
The date(s) of the alleged violation
Phone
We speak your language! Talk with an FHEO intake specialist by calling:
1-800-669-9777
or
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities
HUD welcomes and is prepared to receive calls from individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as individuals with speech or communication disabilities. To learn more about how to make an accessible telephone call, please visit Telecommunications Relay Service - TRS.
Assistance for Persons with Limited English Proficiency
You can report housing discrimination in any language. For persons with limited English proficiency, HUD provides interpreters. HUD also provides a Spanish language version of the online report housing discrimination form. You can find descriptions of your fair housing rights in several languages other than English here.
It is illegal to retaliate against any person for making an allegation, testifying, assisting, or participating in any manner in a proceeding under HUD’s allegation process at any time, even after the investigation has been completed. The Fair Housing Act also makes it illegal to retaliate against any person because that person reported a discriminatory practice to a housing provider or other authority. The Violence Against Women Act also makes it illegal for a public housing agency, owner, or manager of housing assisted under a VAWA covered housing program to retaliate against someone for seeking or exercising VAWA protections for themself or another. This includes protection for people who testify, assist, or participate in any VAWA matter on their own, or another’s, behalf. If you believe you have experienced retaliation, you can report housing discrimination.
FHEO investigates allegations, which may be one or both of the following types:
How Your Rights May Have Been Violated
Discrimination in renting or buying a home, getting a mortgage, seeking housing assistance, or engaging in other housing-related activities
Applicable Law and Protected Classes
Fair Housing Act (race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, familial status)
Who May File an Allegation
Anyone who has been or will be harmed by a discriminatory housing practice
Who May Have an Allegation Filed Against Them
Property owners, property managers, developers, real estate agents, mortgage lenders, homeowners associations, insurance providers, and others who affect housing opportunities
How Your Rights May Have Been Violated
Discrimination and other violations of civil rights in HUD programs (for example, failure to ensure meaningful access by persons with limited English proficiency)
Applicable Law and Protected Classes
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (race, color, national origin); Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (race, color, national origin, religion, sex); Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (disability); Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (disability); Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (disability); Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (age); Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 (sex)
Who May File an Allegation
Anyone
Who May Have an Allegation Filed Against Them
Any recipient or subrecipient of HUD financial assistance, States, local governments, and private entities operating housing and community development and other types of services, programs, or activities
How Your Rights May Have Been Violated
Discrimination in accessing housing or assistance, being evicted from housing, or having your assistance terminated because you are a survivor of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking; failure to receive notice of occupancy rights or certification form under VAWA; being denied housing or housing-related rights or otherwise penalized for reporting crimes and emergencies; or being retaliated against for seeking or exercising VAWA rights for yourself or another.
Applicable Law and Protected Classes
Violence Against Women Act (survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking; certain VAWA protections apply regardless of being a survivor (right to report crimes and emergencies; protections from retaliation)).
Who May File an Allegation
Anyone who has been or will be harmed by a discriminatory housing practice under VAWA.
Who May Have an Allegation Filed Against Them
With respect to most of the Violence Against Women Act, any individual or entity under a covered housing program that has responsibility for the administration and/or oversight of VAWA protections, including a public housing agency, sponsor, owner, mortgager, manager, State and local government or its agency, nonprofit or for-profit organization or entity. Additionally, allegations may be filed against anyone who violates the right to report crimes and emergencies.
Privacy Act Statement: The information submitted to HUD may be used to investigate and process claims of housing and other types of discrimination. It may be disclosed for lawful investigatory purposes, including to the U.S. Department of Justice for its use in the filing of pattern and practice suits of housing discrimination or the prosecution of the person(s) who committed the discrimination where violence is involved; the public, where appropriate; and to State or local fair housing agencies that administer substantially equivalent fair housing laws for allegation processing. Though disclosure of the information is voluntary, failure to provide some or all of the requested information may result in the delay or denial of help with your housing discrimination allegation.