Fair Housing in Georgia

Our fair housing mission is to have communities throughout Georgia free of housing discrimination.  JCVision and Associates, Inc. and its staff help to ensure equal housing opportunities for all persons regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identification, national origin, familial status, or disability.  The Fair Housing Act is a federal law that prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of dwellings and other housing-related transactions based on:

  • Race
  • Color
  • National Origin
  • Religion
  • Sex
  • Handicap (Disability)
  • Familial Status (including Children under the Age of 18 Living with Parents or Legal Custodians, Pregnant Women, and People Securing Custody of Children under the Age of 18)
  • Have you ever been a victim where actions, omissions, or decisions were taken which restricted your housing choice as an individual or as a family?

What Is Prohibited?

In the sale and rental of housing, no one may make any of the following actions based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or handicap (disability):

  • Refuse to Rent or Sell Housing
  • Refuse to Negotiate for Housing
  • Deny a Dwelling
  • For-Profit, Persuade Owners to Sell or Rent or
  • Provide Different Housing Services or Facilities
  • Make Housing Unavailable
  • Falsely Deny That Housing Is Available for Inspection, Sale or Rental
  • Set Different Terms, Conditions or Privileges for Sale or Rental of a Dwelling
  • Deny Anyone Access to or Membership in a Facility or Service (Such as Multiple Listing Service) Related to the Sale or Rental of Housing

In Mortgage Lending?

In mortgage lending, no one may make any of the following actions based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or handicap (disability):

  • Refuse to Make a Mortgage Loan
  • Discriminate in Appraising Property
  • Refuse to Purchase a Loan or Set Different Terms or Conditions for Purchasing a Loan
  • Refuse to Provide Information Regarding Loans
  • Impose Different Terms or Conditions on a Loan, Such as Different Interest Rates, Points, or Fees

Also, it is illegal for anyone to threaten, coerce, intimidate, or interfere with anyone exercising a fair housing right or assisting others who exercise that right. It is also illegal to advertise or make any statement that indicates a limitation or preference based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or handicap (disability). This prohibition against discriminatory advertising applies to single-family and owner-occupied housing that is otherwise exempt from the Fair Housing Act.

Fair Housing and Filing a Complaint

On April 11, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which was meant as a follow-up to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The 1968 act expanded on previous acts and prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, or sex. The act was amended under Title VIII of the Act in 1968 to prohibit discrimination based on disability and familial status.

The enactment of the federal Fair Housing Act on April 11, 1968, came only after a long and difficult journey. However, when Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson utilized this national tragedy to urge for the bill's quick Congressional approval. Since the 1966 open housing marches in Chicago, Dr. King's name had been closely associated with the fair housing legislation. President Johnson viewed the Act as a fitting memorial to the man's life work and wished to have the Act passed prior to Dr. King's funeral in Atlanta.

Equal access to rental housing and homeownership opportunities is the cornerstone of this nation’s federal housing policy. Landlords, lenders, sellers, or any housing provider who refuse to rent, finance, or sell any dwelling to people based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or familial status are violating the federal law, and HUD will vigorously pursue them. Housing discrimination is not only illegal; it contradicts in every way the principles of freedom and opportunity we treasure as Americans. The Department of HUD is committed to ensuring that everyone is treated equally when searching for a place to call home.

Assistance with Housing Discrimination

Our fair housing mission is to have communities free of housing discrimination throughout Georgia.  If you feel you have been a victim of discrimination, contact our office right away:  912-877-4243 or by email:  jcvisiongeorgia@yahoo.com

The Fair Housing Act allows you to file a complaint free of charge. Alleged violations of the Act are investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, state and private fair housing groups working with HUD, like our organization, JCVision and Associates,  or go to www.hud.gov website.

There is a time limit to file a complaint. You must file a complaint within one year of the housing discrimination. You have two years to file a federal civil court action. If you suspect you are a victim of housing or lending discrimination, you can file a complaint free of charge with HUD, our organization, and your local HUD-approved housing counseling and FHIP Agency.