Equal Housing for All
Fair Housing
Fair HousingELKHART HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION.
The City of Elkhart Human Relations Commission was established on February 15, 1965 and is 5 member board appointed by the Mayor. The Commission’s main goal is to eliminate prohibited practices of discrimination in housing transactions including unimproved real estate on the basis of race, religion, gender, color, disability, familial status, and national origin.
(574) 294-5471 Ext. 1014
Relay Indiana 711 or (800) 743-3333
.
human.relations@coei.org
WELCOME TO ELKHART – Billboard Video
👀 WATCH: “Seven Days” Documentary | This film, produced by the National Fair Housing Alliance and Nationwide, chronicles the seven days between the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the passage of the Fair Housing Act.
IMPEDIMENTS TO FAIR HOUSING SURVEY
The City of Elkhart Human Relations Commission was established on February 15, 1965 and is a 5 member board appointed by the Mayor. The EHRC is the local Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) agency that is substantially equivalent to HUD in filing complaints of housing discrimination.
The Commission’s main goal is to eliminate prohibited practices of discrimination in housing transactions including unimproved real estate on the basis of race, religion, gender, color, disability, familial status, and national origin.
Board members:
- Mary Jo Weyrick, Chair
- Dana Irving, Vice Chair
- Crystal Welsh
- Melinda Riley
- VACANT
Meeting Schedule: Calendar
Rules and Regulations: Document
NEWSLETTERS:
The Act in Action – January 2025
Know Your Housing Rights ! – May 2025
2025 Fair Housing Month Proclamation – April is Fair Housing Month
Landlord and Tenant Relations Handbook-English
Una Guia para Propietarios e Inquilinos
Local Fair Housing Ordinance #4210
POSTERS:
ARCHIVES OF NEWSLETTERS:
- DECEMBER 2024
- NOVEMBER 2024
- OCTOBER 2024
- SEPTEMBER 2024
- AUGUST 2024
- JULY 2024
- JUNE 2024
- MAY 2024
- APRIL 2024
- MARCH 2024
- FEBRUARY 2024
- JANUARY 2024
- DECEMBER 2022 (English and Espanol)
- JANUARY 2023
- FEBRUARY 2023
- MARCH 2023
- APRIL 2023
- APRIL 2023 – SPECIAL EDITION
- MAY 2023
- JUNE 2023
- JULY 2023
- AUGUST 2023
- AUGUST 2023 – FAMILY EDITION
- SEPTEMBER 2023
- OCTOBER 2023
- NOVEMBER 2023
- DECEMBER 2023
The Fair Housing Act
The Fair Housing Act protects people from discrimination when they are renting or buying a home, getting a mortgage, seeking housing assistance, or engaging in other housing-related activities.
Who Is Protected?
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing because of:
- Race
- Color
- National Origin
- Religion
- Sex
- Familial Status
- Disability
What Types of Housing Are Covered?
The Fair Housing Act covers most housing. In very limited circumstances, the Act exempts owner-occupied buildings with no more than four units, single-family houses sold or rented by the owner without the use of an agent, and housing operated by religious organizations and private clubs that limit occupancy to members.
What Is Prohibited?
In the Sale and Rental of Housing:
It is illegal discrimination to take any of the following actions because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin:
- Refuse to rent or sell housing
- Refuse to negotiate for housing
- Otherwise make housing unavailable
- Set different terms, conditions or privileges for sale or rental of a dwelling
- Provide a person different housing services or facilities
- Falsely deny that housing is available for inspection, sale or rental
- Make, print or publish any notice, statement or advertisement with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation or discrimination
- Impose different sales prices or rental charges for the sale or rental of a dwelling
- Use different qualification criteria or applications, or sale or rental standards or procedures, such as income standards, application requirements, application fees, credit analyses, sale or rental approval procedures or other requirements
- Evict a tenant or a tenant’s guest
- Harass a person
- Fail or delay performance of maintenance or repairs
- Limit privileges, services or facilities of a dwelling
- Discourage the purchase or rental of a dwelling
- Assign a person to a particular building or neighborhood or section of a building or neighborhood
- For profit, persuade, or try to persuade, homeowners to sell their homes by suggesting that people of a particular protected characteristic are about to move into the neighborhood (blockbusting)
- Refuse to provide or discriminate in the terms or conditions of homeowners insurance because of the race, color, religion, sex , disability, familial status, or national origin of the owner and/or occupants of a dwelling
- Deny access to or membership in any multiple listing service or real estate brokers’ organization
In Mortgage Lending:
It is illegal discrimination to take any of the following actions based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin:
- Refuse to make a mortgage loan or provide other financial assistance for a dwelling
- Refuse to provide information regarding loans
- Impose different terms or conditions on a loan, such as different interest rates, points, or fees
- Discriminate in appraising a dwelling
- Condition the availability of a loan on a person’s response to harassment
- Refuse to purchase a loan
Harassment:
The Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to harass persons because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin. Among other things, this forbids sexual harassment.
Other Prohibitions:
In addition, it is illegal discrimination to:
- Threaten, coerce, intimidate or interfere with anyone exercising a fair housing right or assisting others who exercise the right
- Retaliate against a person who has filed a fair housing complaint or assisted in a fair housing investigation
Advertising:
In nearly all housing, including private housing, public housing, and housing that receives federal funding, the Fair Housing Act prohibits the making, printing and publishing of advertisements that indicate a preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex , disability, familial status, or national origin. The prohibition applies to publishers, such as newspapers and directories, as well as to persons and entities who place real estate advertisements in newspapers and on websites. It also applies where the advertisement itself violates the Act, even if the property being advertised may be exempt from the provisions of the Act. Other federal civil rights laws may also prohibit discriminatory advertising practices.
Examples of advertising that may violate the Act include phrases such as “no children,” which indicates discrimination on the basis of familial status, or “no wheelchairs,” which indicates disability discrimination.
Additional Protections For Persons With Disabilities:
Housing providers must make reasonable accommodations and allow reasonable modifications that may be necessary to allow persons with disabilities to enjoy their housing.
Fair Housing Month- Housing Discimination: Know Your Rights Powerpoint Slides
Mes de lgualdad de Vivienda -Discriminación en la Vivienda: Conozca Sus Derechos Powerpoint Slides
Fair Housing and Persons that are Deaf or Hard of Hearing:
- Short Film: A Home for Henry
- Guide to Auxiliary Aids and Services
Fair Housing and Families: Fact Sheet
Fair Housing and Assistance Animals: Fact Sheet
Fair Housing and LGBTQ+ : Fact Sheet
Fair Housing and Fair Lending: Guide
El Prestamo Equitativo: Aprenda los Datos
Fair Housing: Booklet
Equidad En La Vivienda: Booklet
Fair Housing Design and Construction: Quiz
Fair Housing and Mental Health: For Individuals
Guia de igualdad de acceso a la vivienda: Para personas con
discapacidades mentales
Fair Housing and Mental Health: For Housing Providers
Guia de igualdad de acceso a la vivienda: Guía para los proveedores de vivienda
Fair Housing and National Origin: Handout
Please read the ASSESSMENT OF IMPEDIMENTS TO FAIR HOUSING CHOICE
To View Click Here: Renters Kit (HUD)
Eviction Brochures:
Fair Housing in the Community.
Fair Housing Events Calendar.
