The Road to Fair Housing

The road to Fair Housing was not an easy one. Since the passing key legislation and constitutional amendments to establishing the REALTOR® Code of Ethics, we as a country and an organization have come a long way. Yet, we still see headlines and hear stories from our fellow REALTORS® that the challenge remains.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the agency and its fair housing partners receive around 8,000 complaints alleging discrimination annually. Every type of discrimination robs individuals and families of their right to choose where to live. “Equal access to housing is a fundamental promise of America,” said HUD Acting Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Bryan Greene. “When access to housing is unfairly limited, it, in turn, limits access to good paying jobs, quality schools and economic opportunity.”

One of our priorities this year is improving home ownership.  If we can increase the homeownership rate, which has fallen from almost 70 percent to 63 percent, we can open the door to the American Dream for more people, strengthen communities and create more opportunities for our members.

Therefore, this April, we encourage REALTORS® to learn more about the Fair Housing resources available through NAR and the REALTOR® Party, including the Fair Housing Poster.  As we recommit ourselves to working together to create communities of opportunity, let us be reminded of our policy, which states that:

We firmly believe in equal opportunity in housing. The right to rent or purchase shelter of choice should not be abridged because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity. Housing discrimination diminishes and denies the right to own, use and transfer real estate. Furthermore, these rights should not be limited because of existing or desired demographic outcomes.

We all have a vital role in ensuring and protecting home ownership is a right afforded to all. Let the legacy of the Fair Housing Act, as inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., be an inspiration to us all to work even harder both in our businesses and in our communities.