HUD Facing Down Discrimination in Real Estate

HUD Facing Down Discrimination in Real Estate

While there are many laws in place to protect buyers and renters of real estate, unfortunately, there are still people around who think that it is alright to try to dissuade buyers and renters or even just outright turn people away that they do not think are "right" for a home due to a variety of irrelevant reasons.

Even in our present century, there are many kinds of discrimination that happen in a real estate context. Families and individuals are discriminated against for reasons of: color, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, familial status, and/or handicap; most of these types of discrimination are illegal in all states. Unfortunately, the Federal Fair Housing Act does not protect the LGBT community from discrimination when looking to buy or rent a home; though, some states, counties, or municipalities include sexual orientation in their protection against discrimination.

Every decade or so, the Department of Housing and Urban Development do a national study into discriminatory experiences in home renting or purchasing; surprisingly, this current study will be the first time that a HUD study will specifically deal with the discrimination of buyers and renters bases on sexual orientation or identity.

HUD studies on discrimination are done by using testers who pose as buyers or renters from a particular discriminated group. Testing also incorporates the use of a control group so that differences in treatment can be monitored. HUD researchers say that having individuals representing gay or lesbian home hunters will be trickier than tests done in years past that dealt with visible minorities. When the research from each tester is analyzed, the HUD can see what areas of the country are suffering from discriminatory housing practices.

Discrimination does not only occur when people are trying to rent or buy homes; in some places, same sex couples have had problems with trying to finance their homes, insure their home, or make a claim on a home owner's insurance policy. This brings to light the question of what happens if two friends buy and try to insure a home together as well, which in this economy might be a reasonable option for buyers looking to get into the market while the economy is still recovering.

Even though there are laws in place to protect many minority groups from discrimination in housing, discrimination still does occur. And unfortunately, at this time, same sex couples have little protection under federal law when any of these types of problems occur; hopefully the current HUD study will help to change that.

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