Advocates Call for Stronger Action to Curb Housing Discrimination

Economic Justice News 03.19,10

The House Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties recently held a hearing on the state of housing discrimination, and the effectiveness of our government’s enforcement of the Fair Housing Act. 

The subcommittee focused on why the nation’s housing and lending markets continue to produce levels of residential segregation that result in continued disparities between minority and non-minority households that ultimately affect access to good jobs, quality education, homeownership attainment, and asset accumulation. 


The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) estimates that more than four million incidents of housing discrimination occur annually, and that discrimination can occur on any of the lending, leasing, or purchasing phases of property rental or ownership.


“Our failure as a nation to effectively address both individual and systemic housing, lending and insurance discrimination means discrimination is still pervasive and residential segregation remains the norm,” said Shanna Smith, president of NFHA, in her testimony. 


Smith made a number of recommendations for strengthening the Fair Housing Act and eradicating housing discrimination that includes:



  • expanding coverage under the act to include source of income, marital status, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression;

  • stronger federal oversight on mortgage lending;

  • amend the Communications Decency Act to eliminate discriminatory advertising and to hold the Internet to the same standards as print media; and

  • creating an independent agency for fair housing education and enforcement.

NFHA’s recommendations are consistent with recommendations made in 2008 by the National Commission on Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, which was created by NFHA, The Leadership Conference, and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.  The Lawyers Committee also testified at the hearing.