Filing A Fair Housing Claim

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As a victim of housing discrimination of an illegal nature, you have every right to bring a fair housing claim against your landlord, agent etc. However, before really getting into the process, consider the various things involved in taking such a step.

Assay your Timeline

There is a limited timeframe within which you may bring a fair housing claim in the federal court. You have to file such a claim within two years and a maximum of only one year after the alleged discrimination to pursue it through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Reckon Your Reasons

Having a real and sound reason to file a claim helps. Merely being angry or wanting to show you can cause trouble, without having a good reason, isn't good enough. In fact, your judgment will get clouded when angry and you may end up doing the wrong thing. Bringing your claim to ensure at least others are not discriminated by the landlord is an example of a good reason.

Evaluate Your Claim

The evidence you present will be analyzed by the Staff of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Such a thing is done to evaluate whether the evidence will lead to a favorable case for you.

However, it certainly is a good idea to perform an evaluation of your own before you file such a claim. For instance, your landlord may not provide you with proper heating facilities but it becomes a case of discrimination only when a group of you, with something in common e.g. of a certain nationality or color or familial status etc., are sifted out from utilizing such facilities.

Evoke an Unbiased Assessment

Get an opinion on the case from someone you respect or whose opinion you respect. Though you may feel you may bag the case, someone who isn't directly involved in the issue will be able to provide a more sound analysis.

Accumulate Relevant Proof

Anything that supports your cause ought to be collected by you as proof. Letters, emails, phone logs, recorded conversations will all come in handy to proving that your landlord had engaged in discrimination.

Also, any person who can offer a testimony is a witness to discrimination. Ensure their testimony is relevant.

Getting Yourself Ready

Pursuing a claim may take years, and you must be able to keep track of things a year later and not lose focus. If you think the issue will not be of import a year or two later, you may as well not pursue it.

Even if you do image you'll remain serious about it, you must remember there's no real assurance you'll win it, even though you may have prepared a rock-solid case. What you will be awarded on winning too will not be clear and depends on the judge/jury.

You ought to ready yourself for a little bit of publicity. It may come right from the time you file a claim or may appear only after the entire issue is resolved. If you do not mind the publicity, that's fine. However, if reading about your claim in the papers or blogs makes you feel uncomfortable, you might want to reconsider your stand.