Fair Housing

Fair Housing – It’s the Right!

Fair Housing refers to free and equal access to residential housing – i.e. housing choice. Both the federal Fair Housing Act and the New York Human Rights Law make it illegal to discriminate against individuals in the provision of fair housing on the following bases: race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, creed, age, national origin, familial status, marital or domestic partnership status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military status, domestic violence status, mental or physical disability, perceived disability, and lawful income or source of lawful rent payment.

The Town of Roxbury complies with the federal Fair Housing Act and the New York State Human Rights Law. The Town of Roxbury is committed to affirmatively furthering fair housing for all individuals.

Read the Town of Roxbury Fair Housing Resolution

Read the Town of Roxbury Fair Housing Policy

Fair Housing FAQs and Important Information

Fair Housing FAQs and Important Information by the Fair Housing Act and Human Rights Law

Most housing is covered by the Fair Housing Act. In New York State, fair housing laws cover most housing with three or more units, with three main exceptions: one or two family owner-occupied buildings; room rentals in housing for individuals of the same sex; and room rentals in owner-occupied housing.

Illegal Actions

Fair housing laws apply to the sale or rental of housing and also to mortgage lending. Some typical examples of illegal actions include: refusing to rent, sell, finance, insure, or negotiate for housing; making housing unavailable; setting different terms or conditions, or providing unequal services; printing or circulating a discriminatory advertisement; refusing to make or provide information for a loan, or imposing different terms or conditions for a loan; or harassing, threatening, intimidating, or coercing anyone, including sexual harassment.

Those with Disabilities Are Protected

In general, buildings constructed after 1991 with four or more units that have an elevator are required to be built in a manner that is accessible to persons with disabilities. The federal Fair Housing Act requires that housing providers must “make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices, or services, when such accommodations may be necessary to afford a person with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling.”

Who can I contact if I believe I’ve been discriminated against?

You can file a discrimination complaint with private fair housing organizations and non-profit fair housing enforcement organizations. You can also file a complaint on your own by submitting to one of the agencies identified below. The Town of Roxbury Fair Housing Officer can assist you with this process.