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.
Diversity & Fair Housing Resources
It’s the Law
It is illegal to discriminate in the sale or rental of housing, including against individuals seeking a mortgage or housing assistance, or in other housing-related activities. The Fair Housing Act prohibits this discrimination because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability. A variety of other federal civil rights laws, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act, prohibit discrimination in housing and community development programs and activities.
What Does Housing Discrimination Look Like?
It is illegal 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
- Refuse to 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
For more information and examples, visit Examples of Housing Discrimination.
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If you believe you have experienced Housing Discrimination
It is important to know that filing a complaint is free, and you are not required to obtain a lawyer to assist you in this process.
- The term “protected class” refers to groups of people legally protected from discrimination against them due to a shared characteristic (e.g., race, disability, or sexual orientation).
- The U.S. federal, Colorado, and Local Counties cover different protected classes. The chart below shows which protected classes are covered under each governing body.
- If you belong to a protected class and experienced discrimination, where you file a complaint will depend on the protected class you belong to.
Additional Resources
To find a REALTOR® who speaks a language other than English, you can use the Find a REALTOR® Tool
https://www.coloradoREALTOR®s.com/consumers/find-a-REALTOR®/.
Housing Financial Resources
The state of Colorado and many counties have programs that can assist consumers with grants to purchase a home, pay for their mortgage, and help with energy bills. To find out what programs you or your client may qualify for, please review this helpful Colorado Resource Guide. If you encounter any links that have expired or you have resources that should be added, please contact Holly Krell at hkrell@coloradorealtors.com.
Find a Community
Colorado is home to many networks that support various individuals working in the real estate industry. We encourage you to visit and connect with the networks below.
File a Complaint
CAR Professional Services will accept complaints alleging violations of the REALTOR® Code of Ethics when purchasing or renting housing.