Our Programs

Enforcement

Enforcement Efforts

In 1968, the Fair Housing Act was passed into law making housing discrimination unlawful throughout the nation.  Despite this legal protection and decades of work by NFHA and its members to educate and train persons and organizations, reinvest in communities, and advocate for policies that extend equity and equality in housing nationwide, housing discrimination persists.  

NFHA’s enforcement efforts support its mission by engaging in activities to document and address unlawful housing discrimination throughout the country:  

  • Intake and referrals: NFHA receives allegations of discrimination and connects persons with local fair housing organizations and other resources for investigation and advocacy services. NFHA may also provide investigation and advocacy services. To report allegations, click here. 
  • Investigations: When NFHA has reason to believe fair housing laws are being violated, it conducts investigations to assess the situation. Investigations are often conducted in collaboration with local fair housing centers and may cover multiple states. 
  • Counteraction: In instances where NFHA identifies discrimination, NFHA diverts its resources to address documented discrimination through, for example, re-training, re-education campaigns, and outreach activities. 
  • Elimination and prevention: NFHA leverages fair housing laws to eliminate discrimination it has documented, prevent future discrimination, and provide relief to individuals and communities harmed by discrimination. 
  • Community reinvestment: NFHA seeks to reinvest in communities harmed by discrimination, and to make neighborhoods and persons whole. Read about NFHA’s inclusive communities program here. 
  • Amicus briefs: NFHA engages in amicus briefs to support the development of strong fair housing jurisprudence.  

To learn more about a few of NFHA’s recent enforcement efforts, click on the links below. 

National Fair Housing Alliance and Redfin Agree to Settlement Which Greatly Expands Access to Real Estate Services in Communities of Color

NFHA announced a settlement agreement to resolve a fair housing lawsuit that will expand housing opportunities for consumers in communities of color in major cities throughout the United States. One of the nation’s largest real estate services companies, Redfin will change its minimum housing price policy, alter other practices, and pay $4 million to settle the suit brought against it by NFHA and nine other fair housing organizations.

Click below to learn more about this case.

NFHA Reaches Historic Settlement with Fannie Mae

NFHA and 20 fair housing organizations throughout the country reached a landmark $53 million agreement with Fannie Mae (formally known as the Federal National Mortgage Association). The settlement resolves the groups’ claims that Fannie Mae treated homes it owned in majority-Black and Latino communities unfavorably. The settlement will help rebuild and strengthen communities of color in 39 metropolitan areas. 

Click below to learn more about this case.

Fair Housing Groups Settle Lawsuit with Facebook: Transforms Facebook’s Ad Platform Impacting Millions of Users

NFHA, Fair Housing Council of Greater San Antonio (FHCGSA), Fair Housing Justice Center of New York (FHJC), and Housing Opportunities Project for Excellence, Inc. of Miami (HOPE, Inc.), collectively the “Fair Housing Groups,” settled a historic lawsuit with Facebook that will drive unprecedented and sweeping changes across its advertising platform.

Click below to learn more about this case.

Bank of America Accused of Racial Discrimination in 30 U.S. Metropolitan Areas and 201 Cities

NFHA and nine local fair housing organizations filed an amended discrimination complaint against Bank of America (BoA). The complaint alleges illegal discrimination by BoA in African American and Latino neighborhoods in six additional cities. This new evidence of discriminatory treatment by BoA will be added to the federal Fair Housing Act complaint on file with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Furthermore, NFHA and the nine fair housing organizations added new evidence to their existing claims. The six additional cities are: Columbus, OH; Gary, IN; Minneapolis, MN; Newark, NJ; Tampa, FL; and neighborhoods in suburban Detroit.

Click below to learn more about this case.

Civil Rights Organizations Accuse Deutsche Bank, Ocwen Financial, and Altisource of Housing Discrimination in 30 Metropolitan Areas

NFHA, along with 19 fair housing organizations, allege that Deutsche Bank AG, Deutsche Bank National Trust, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, Ocwen Financial Corporation, and Altisource Portfolio Solutions, Inc. fail to provide required routine maintenance on bank-owned homes in middle- and working-class African American and Latino neighborhoods, while Deutsche/Ocwen/Altisource consistently provide routine maintenance on similar bank-owned homes in white neighborhoods. NFHA and the other fair housing organizations originally filed an administrative complaint against just Deutsche Bank with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on February 26, 2014, followed by an amended administrative complaint with HUD to include Ocwen and Altisource as respondents in the 30 metropolitan areas. In February 1, 2018, NFHA and the other fair housing organizations filed a housing discrimination lawsuit in federal district court in Chicago, IL against Deutsche Bank; Deutsche Bank National Trust; Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas; Ocwen Financial Corp.; and Altisource Portfolio Solutions, Inc. Ocwen and Altisource.

Click below to learn more about this case.