Underground Journal

HUD Stands Up for LGBT Families

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and families can now expect more assistance when experiencing any form of housing discrimination because of a policy announced in 2010 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The policy, which was announced by HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan at HUD’s LGBT Pride Month Celebration, will treat gender-identity discrimination as gender discrimination under the Fair Housing Act.

The Fair Housing Act prohibits any discrimination in the rental, lending, or sales of housing based on gender, race, color, familial status, and national origin. The new policy makes it so that the HUD will jointly refer or investigate matters regarding any discrimination with any local, district, and state governments, and retain jurisdiction over any complaints filed by LGBT individuals and families.

Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity John Trasvina explains that it’s the HUD’s job to include 21st century issues when fighting and preventing any housing discrimination, in order to complete their goals. He also assured that the agency’s housing staff will work alongside state and local civil rights agencies in referring and investigating gender discrimination cases.

An example is if a man alleges he is being evicted because he is homosexual, and the landlord is acting aggressive because he thinks he will act inappropriately around other male tenants, and may even spread HIV in his property. According to the Fair Housing Act, the man is not only being discriminated for being gay, but is also being discriminated because of a disability, which is HIV.

It is these cases that the HUD and even the Federal Housing Administration will be monitoring. The FHA plans to tell its lending community that any FHA-insured mortgage loans must have its basis not on the borrowers’ sexual orientation or gender identity, but on their credit-worthiness.

These combined with other measures announced by HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan last October ensure that the HUD’s core housing programs are available to all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

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