Section 2 | 4/14 |
HUD Fair Housing Enforcement
People who believe they have been harmed by housing discrimination may file fair housing complaints directly with a HUD office within one year of when the discrimination occurred. HUD accepts and investigates such complaints through its Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO). FHEO investigates complaints and attempts to help the parties reach a voluntary agreement through conciliation.
If a complaint cannot be resolved voluntarily, and HUD determines that reasonable cause exists to believe that a discriminatory housing practice has occurred or is about to occur, HUD will issue a determination of reasonable cause and file a charge of discrimination for further proceedings before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) or in a civil action in federal court. HUD does not charge any fees or costs to the individual(s) alleging that they were harmed by discrimination, either during the investigation or during any proceedings before an ALJ. Cases before HUD ALJs are handled by HUD’s Office of General Counsel, whose attorneys litigate the cases on behalf of aggrieved persons.
Examples of relief in such cases may include compensation for victims, changes to policies and procedures, and training.