Fair Housing
Do You Need to File a Fair Housing Discrimination Complaint?
- Access information from HUD on fair housing and the complaint process
- Access information from the Arizona Attorney General's Office on fair housing and the complaint process
Do You Have a Landlord or Tenant Issue?
- Learn about tenant rights, laws and protections in Arizona
- Visit the Landlord Tenant Resource Center
- Access information on agencies that assist with landlord and tenant issues such as investigating complaints or provide education or legal assistance
- Access information on education and counseling for both landlords and tenants on their rights under the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
Background
The Fair Housing Act protects people from discrimination when they are renting, buying, or securing financing for any housing. The prohibitions specifically cover discrimination because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability and familial status (pregnancy or children under age 18).
It is also illegal to retaliate against a party who exercises their rights under the law, any person who assists them in exercising their rights, for filing a complaint of housing discrimination, or against a party that cooperates in an investigation.
Learn more about the Fair Housing Act.
Actions Prohibited Under the Fair Housing Act
Under the Fair Housing Act, the following activities are illegal:
- Refuse to rent or sell housing
- Refuse to negotiate for housing
- Make housing unavailable
- Set different terms, conditions, or privileges for sale or rental
- Provide different housing services or facilities
- Falsely deny that housing is available for inspection, sale or rental
- For profit, persuade owners to sell or rent (blockbusting)
- Deny any access to, or membership in, a facility or service (such as a multiple listing service) related to the sale of housing
- Refuse to make reasonable accommodations in rules or services if necessary for a person with disabilities use the housing
- Refuse to allow a person with disabilities to make reasonable accommodations to his/her dwelling
- Threaten or interfere with anyone making a fair housing complaint
- Refuse to provide municipal services, property insurance, or hazard insurance for dwellings, or providing such services or insurance
This is not an exhaustive list. For additional actions prohibited, refer to the Fair Housing Equal Opportunity for All Booklet (PDF) or HUD website.
Urban County Information
MCHSD helps prevent or eliminate discrimination by taking an active role in the education and training of housing providers to ensure awareness of fair housing laws and provides outreach to the general public to raise fair housing awareness to the residents of Urban Maricopa County, including the unincorporated areas of Maricopa County, as well as the incorporated cities and towns of Buckeye, El Mirage, Fountain Hills, Gila Bend, Goodyear, Guadalupe, Litchfield Park, Tolleson, Wickenburg, and Youngtown. Every five years, Maricopa County researches and publishes an Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice for submission to HUD. The analysis identifies the barriers to fair housing throughout the Maricopa HOME Consortium and Urban County as well as actions that will be undertaken to reduce or eliminate identified barriers to fair housing.