Press Releases
April 11, 2010 marks the 42nd anniversary of the 1968 landmark Fair Housing Act - 4/5/2010
To celebrate this landmark legislation that established a national policy of Fair Housing, Commissioners and staff of the South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority (SC State Housing) are joining numerous public and private sector organizations in designating April as Fair Housing Month. This appropriately commemorates the enactment of Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, according to SC State Housing’s Executive Director Valarie M. Williams.
“This historic legislation has helped countless Americans achieve the American Dream of safe, decent and affordable housing,” she said. “It has also allowed us to make great strides in opening the door to fair housing opportunities for all citizens.”
The Act prohibits discrimination in housing because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status and handicap. The Fair Housing Act also protects those who may become victims of the unscrupulous lending practices of predatory lenders.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity administers fair housing laws and establishes national policies that ensure all Americans have equal opportunities in housing for which they qualify.
Additionally, the South Carolina Fair Housing Law, enacted in 1989, gave the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission jurisdiction to investigate all fair housing complaints in the State.
Individuals who believe they have experienced discrimination can report it to the State Human Affairs Commission, 1-800-521-0725, or HUD, 1-800-877-7353. Individuals can file a housing discrimination complaint by logging onto HUD's Fair Housing website: www.hud.gov/fairhousing or www.espanol.hud.gov.
“The State Housing Authority recognizes the importance of the Fair Housing Act as well as the South Carolina Fair Housing Law as we work toward increasing the affordable housing stock for the citizens of South Carolina,” Valarie Williams said. “We recognize it as an indispensable tool in stamping out housing discrimination.”
SC State Housing is a self-supporting agency of state government and does not receive a state appropriation. For more information on SC State Housing or its programs, visit the website: www.schousing.com.
Equal Housing Opportunity