The 1968 Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination on the sale, rental or financing of housing based on race, religion or national origin. Laws prohibiting discrimination based on gender, those with disabilities and families with children were later passed. The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity is charged with enforcing fair housing laws. Despite legal measures to protect all Americans from housing discrimination, the most commonly targeted victims are still African Americans. Redlining is still prevalent in many areas even though it has been outlawed. Studies have found that minorities who apply for mortgages are three times more likely to be rejected than similarly-qualified Caucasians. There were 34,150 complaints of housing discrimination in 2023. The three most common types of complaints were based on disability (52%), race (17%), and gender (8%). Advocates say that despite existing fair housing laws, segregation and discriminatory practices persist in America, creating disparities in housing access for various groups. They claim the biggest obstacle to fair housing rights is the federal government's failure to vigorously enforce existing housing laws.

Pending legislation: H.R.68 - Housing Fairness Act of 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Al Green (TX)
Status: House Committee on Financial Services
Chair: Rep. French Hill (AR)