Housing Discrimination. Do you know the Law?

Great post, Lisa, and an important topic and reminder for all of us. Hope your having a fine day.

great post! I agree with everything here!

WOW; slightly more detailed "instructions" huh? One more example of continual change and observance that is needed in our industry.  Thanks for the post

wow this is a great addition or change... nice job in highlighting it

Lisa, I posted on this subject last autumn and there were a few who wanted to argue with me about what agents are supposed to do if they receive a discriminatory request.

I took it a step further and interviewed a HUD official in Washington, D.C. who told me that HUD expects an agent to report any incident where the agent has direct knowledge of intent to violate anti-discrimination laws.

Lisa...  in all honesty, I don't worry about this topic or even think about it often.  Why?  Because I know that I treat every client the same way. I have been accused by some, because they think it has to do with color, when I say I can't help. But that is not how I treat my business. That kind of thought will always be around though. But I am sure what you are talking about happens a lot more than it should...

And on another note... that is mortgage banker... at least for me....  ;o)   Thanks for the link love.

Hi Lisa, your points and 'reminders' are great but, like Jeff, I treat everyone the same but I am happy that advertising for a 'young buck' is not on our 'no no' list!

The Chattanooga Office of Multicultural Affairs is very active. There is a training class for continuing education credit. We are trying to jump on the newly enacted education requirements for loan originators to have the course approved for that requirement.

It is about opportunity. And no one should be deprived of opportunity, not here.

Education and posts like this keep in in the forefront of all our minds.

I know of two other recent blogs that deal with related subjects.

Anthony Clark:

http://www.activerain.com/blogsview/37047/Hate-bigotry-discrimination-Oh

My post:

http://www.activerain.com/blogsview/524201/Chattanooga-Multi-Cultural-Affairs

 Eric's comment is telling. What does someone do if they encounter such an instruction from a seller, or a neighbor of a listed property?

Do they refuse the listing? Do they comply with the owner's or the neighborhood's wishes?

Thanks,

Richard

Lisa,

Thank you for the reminder, this is a very important and I applaud your BOR for making the verbage change.  I let sellers and buyers both know that I will pull the listing or back out of our buyers contract if the hint of discrimination comes up.

Don R.

Lisa - Nice reminder and good job by your board. 

Lisa, HUD will prosecute anyone who discriminates.  That includes consumers, agents, brokers, home stagers, mortgage professionals..anyone who engages in discriminatory activity.  It includes the seller who expresses the desire to keep "those people" from buying his/her house.

Richard, let me briefly reply to your comment about what to do if an agent encounters a consumer who expresses an intent or desire to discriminate.  An attorney friend who teaches Fair Housing in Wisconsin counsels agents to use the words "stop right there". 

He says the moment a consumer even begins to imply discriminatory intent, it's time to deliver the lecture.  You tell them that even the implication of discrimination can be a Federal offense, and may also violate state and local laws.  You tell them that HUD expects you to report discrimination and, if you fail to do so, you may be accused of complicity or conspiracy to commit a Fair Housing violation.

Yes, if a seller instructed me to discriminate, I would walk away from the listing. 

BTW, I have taught Fair Housing courses in the Minneapolis & Saint Paul area. 

Lisa, This is such an important subject.  I had Fair Housing CE class today.  It is so interesting how people are discriminated against in very subtle ways, like " no cosigners on leases"?  We talked about this today.   Great post.

Lisa, I've had to bring that up twice during my nine years in the business (in two states).  I had one seller who began to tell me which people he didn't want buying his house.  I cut him off in mid-sentence and told him we'd be done talking if the subject turned to issues of race or other protected classes.  He caught himself and the subject never came up again.  His property sold and that was that.

The second time, it was a buyer who began skirting the issue of "what kind of folks live in this area?" and he got the same lecture.  After the showing ended, I never heard from him again.  That didn't bother me in the least.