WHAT IS FAIR HOUSING?

Equal opportunity for families or individuals to reside in, to buy, or to rent housing of their choice, in the neighborhood of their choice, and for which they financially qualify. Every individual within the state has the right to fair housing without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, disability, or familial status.

FAMILIAL STATUS DEFINED:

Familial status refers to households with one or more children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, those securing custody of anyone under 18, and pregnant women.
 

• A disabled person is one who:
• Has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits a major life activity
• Has a record of such impairment
• Is regarded as having such impairment
• Denying a disabled person's request for reasonable mod)fication of their existing housing (at the disabled person's expense), when such mod)fications are necessary to provide full enjoyment of housing for the disabled person, is unlawful discrimination.
• It is also unlawful to refuse to make reasonable accommodation to disabled individuals in rules, policies, practices, or services in the area of housing.
• Conformity to accessibility guidelines is required in all construction or renovation of real property occurring after January 1, 1992.

UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATION IS PROHIBITED

IN THE SALE AND RENTAL OF REAL PROPERTY, ADVERTISING FOR HOUSING, LEASES, SUB-LEASES, LOANS, APPRAISALS, INSURANCE, AND ZONING.

• Refusal to show, rent, lease, transfer, or sell housing
• Unequal terms, conditions or prioileges imposed in housing
• Unequal seruices or facilities in housing Discriminatory aduertising for housing
• Discrimination in housing based on association wish a member of a protected class
• Harassment, intimidation, or interference with anyone exercising fair housing rights
• Denying auailability of housing
• Occupancy standards that are more restrictive than that of local city housing ordinances
• Blockbusting - Promoting the listing or sale of real property in a discriminatory manner, such as inducing residents to sell because different racial or ethnic groups are mouing into the area
• Redlining - Refusal to make loans or prouide home insurance in an equitable manner in geographical areas with low property ualue
• Steering - To "steer" a prospectioe renter or buyer away from desired property on the basis of his or her race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, disability or familial status

* The Kansas Act Against Discrimination is substantially equivalent to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1988, as amended.
 
 

Any person who claims to have been injured; or any person who believes that he or she will be injured by a discriminatory housing practice that is about to occur may file a complaint with the KHRC. Both the Seller/landlord and the purchasing/renting family are aggrieved and can file a complaint when a third party, such as an Owner's association, acts unlawfully to prevent the sale or rental of a unit to a family with children.

A complaint may be filed personally or by attorney. An individual may write, telephone or come in to any KHRC office to begin the filing process. Intake workers can assist in drafting a complaint based on information provided by the complainant. The complaint must be signed and notarized before it can be officially filed with the commission. There is no filing fee

Complaints on any basis in the area of housing must be filed within one year from the last alleged discriminatory act.

WHAT HOUSING IS EXEMPT?

Owner-occupied buildings with no more than four units; Some single family housing if it is sold or rented without the use of discriminatory advertising or a real estate broker, agent or salesman; Housing operated by a private club, not in fact open to the public, which provides lodgings which it owns for other than a commercial purpose, from limiting the rental or occupancy of such lodgings to its members or from giving preference to its members. Housing for older persons that meets the criteria established in the Act is exempt from the prohibitions of discrimination on the basis of familial status.