Fair Housing Enforcement

Section 2
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Fair Housing Enforcement

Since the Fair Housing Act was first signed into law in 1968, the country has seen significant progress in combatting some of the most overt housing discrimination. However, housing discrimination persists today in many different shapes and forms.

The Fair Housing Act provides for a number of different avenues through which a person who believes they have been harmed by unlawful housing discrimination might seek relief, including a private lawsuit in state or federal court or an administrative complaint to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or a state or government agency. Fair housing complaints can also be brought by a broad network of fair housing organizations operating at the state and local level, as well as by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The statute of limitations for filing a complaint under the Fair Housing Act varies depending on whether the complaint is filed in court, with HUD, or with a state or local agency. If a person files an administrative complaint with HUD, the statute of limitations for that person to file a civil action is tolled for the time that the administrative proceeding is pending.

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