Housing Discrimination

Housing discrimination in the United States refers to the historical and ongoing barriers, policies and biases that prevent equal access to housing. It became more pronounced after the abolition of slavery in 1865, enforced through Jim Crow laws mandating racial segregation, and continued through mid twentieth century practices such as redlining and race restricted covenants, which local and federal government bodies were themselves directly responsible for enforcing. The Fair Housing Act, part of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, made it unlawful for a landlord to discriminate against or prefer a prospective tenant based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin when selling or renting housing, with protections later extended to people with disabilities and families with children. Despite these legal protections, researchers have documented that housing discrimination persists and that the resulting segregation continues to drive disparities in wealth, education and health.