The Fair Housing Program at the Disability Law Center

Fact Sheet
Updated: 2 weeks ago
Fair Housing

The Fair Housing Act

The Fair Housing Program at the Disability Law Center (DLC) is a program designed to enforce the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and educate people about fair housing. The program serves people in all state and federal protected classes throughout Utah (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et al. See also the Utah Fair Housing Act at Utah Code Ann. § 57-21-1 et al.). Under a Fair Housing Initiative Program (FHIP) grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Fair Housing Program at the DLC offers educational trainings, free legal clinics, and one-on-one self advocacy assistance to individuals throughout Utah. The DLC educates individuals about:

  • their right to fair housing under the Fair Housing Act;
  • what constitutes a reasonable accommodation and modification;
  • the process for requesting an accommodation or modification to an individual’s home, or to a landlord’s facilities;
  • how to recognize when potential housing discrimination has occurred; and
  • what community and legal options are available to address discriminatory practices.

Fair Housing Program Services

  • Self-advocacy trainings to all protected classes;
  • Free legal clinics;
  • One-on-one self advocacy assistance;
  • Fair housing fact sheets, know-your-rights brochures, self-advocacy packets, and referral sheets with relevant community resources;
  • Outreach and education for housing authorities, landlords, domestic violence shelters, and victim advocates;
  • Short-term technical assistance, information, and referral on fair housing issues;
  • Fair housing trainings for building professionals, emphasizing the architectural requirements of the FHA and building codes;
  • Training for landlords, elected officials, policy-makers, and tenants on the potential implications of the “Good-Landlord” program;
  • Public awareness of the FHA as well as fair housing related issues, through radio interviews, newspaper editorials, and local media coverage;
  • Mediation and negotiation;
  • Legal representation.

Fair Housing Program Goals

  • Help all protected classes gain the skills necessary to become self-advocates.
  • Ensure landlords and housing authorities understand and abide by the FHA.
  • Protect against discriminatory practices.
  • Ensure people with disabilities know how to request a reasonable accommodation or modification to their home, or landlord’s facilities.
  • Help individuals recognize when housing discrimination has occurred.
  • Help individuals who feel they have been discriminated against file a housing discrimination complaint Utah AntiDiscrimination and Labor Division (UALD).
  • Promote equality in the sale, or rental, of housing units.
  • Decrease barriers to housing, jobs, and transportation for people with disabilities.
  • Conduct outreach to underserved and minority communities.

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