During this 1950s and 1960s legislative debates occurred concerning individuals rights in the disposition of property and the right to conduct business freely, despite discriminatory manners. The issue of equality and freedom for all despite race, ancestry, racial origin, or religion was not evident due to racial discrimination during this time in U.S. history. One of the most influential social changes of the twentieth century was the legislative accomplishments of the civil rights movement. The Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 is one of the civil movements accomplishments (Lockard, 1968).
One of the first laws initiated for a nondiscriminatory standard concerning public housing projects was passed in the state of New York in 1939. Public housing is defined as government owned and operated housing projects. The nondiscriminatory public housing law did not extend itself into private housing until 22 years later in 1961 (Lockard, 1968).
The federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 extended itself to laws concerning all housing projects, public and private, prohibiting nondiscriminatory actions. In 1957, New York City initiated the nations first fair housing ordinance. Thereafter, the ordinance became a model for municipal ordinances and state laws. Originally, the ordinance covered housing developments and multiple unit projects. The federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 extended nondiscriminatory laws to all areas of real estate, public and private (Robison, 1968).
By 1968, businesses could not refuse accommodations to an individual based on ancestry, color, race, national origin, or religion (Housing and Home Finance Agency [HHFA] 1964:287). The federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, prohibited individuals to lease, rent, or sell property with discriminatory regulations in property deeds, or in rental agreements (Collins, 2006).
In 1968, administrative agencies were not seeking out discriminatory practices, but ensuring complaints of such practices were dealt by nondiscriminatory standards. Fair housing laws were enforced by state-level administrative agencies responding to individual complaints (Collins, 2006).
Complaints of discrimination were brought to administrative agencies and were handled through an investigation. The alleged discriminatory party was asked to adjust his or her practices to a non-discriminatory manner, when the investigation brought evidence of discrimination (Collins, 2006).
Public hearings were held for persons who refused to comply with the anti discriminatory standards. During the hearings, a fine could be administered or the revocation of a real estate license, if discrimination was proven (Collins, 2006).
Discrimination complaints were left at state-level. State laws did supersede the federal laws. When states adopted fair housing laws, enforcement authorities were extended to the law, that federal law did not incorporate (Collins, 2006).
Between 1940 and 1970, racial discrimination in America was predominant. Federal agencies did not illustrate much change in discrimination until around 1988. In 1944, a survey taken by whites from the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) found 55% of white Americans believed white people should be chosen over African Americans in job opportunities. In addition, in 1968, 56% of white Americans believed that African Americans did not have the right to live in white neighborhoods and whites should be able to choose not to have African Americans live in his or her neighborhood (Schuman, Steeh, & Bobo, 1985).
Fair housing legislation rose through the civil rights movement and the migration of the African American people. African Americans moved from southern rural areas to urban neighborhoods throughout the United States from 1910 to 1970. Discriminatory practices prohibited African Americans in having decent residential choices in metropolitan areas (Collins, 2006).
One Comments to “Federal Fair Housing Act”
[...] See original here: Federal Fair Housing Act [...]