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April is Fair Housing Month, a time to recognize the importance of equal access to housing and to raise awareness of the rights and protections available to Texans.
Fair Housing Month commemorates the passage of the Fair Housing Act, signed into law on April 11, 1968. The law helps protect people from discrimination in housing-related activities such as renting, buying, financing, or obtaining housing services. Federal fair housing law includes disability as a protected class.
For Texans with disabilities, fair housing may include the right to request a reasonable accommodation or reasonable modification when needed to fully use and enjoy a home. Examples may include accessible parking arrangements, changes to communication methods, or modifications to a unit or common area. Fair housing rights may also apply when a person with a disability needs an assistance animal in housing, even when a property has a “no pets” policy or pet-related fees.
Understanding these rights can help Texans recognize when a barrier may be more than just an inconvenience, it may be discrimination. Concerns can arise in advertising, applications, lease terms, property rules, common spaces, or access to housing-related services.
Texans seeking information about housing discrimination or fair housing rights may find resources through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs the Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
In Governor Abbott’s proclamation, he states that fair housing practices help ensure Texans “have the opportunity to thrive and help shape the Texas of tomorrow.”
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