Unit 18 Fair Housing Vocabulary

administrative law judge (ALJ)

The official who presides over a hearing involving a government agency and someone affected by a decision of that agency. The ALJ hears evidence, including the testimony of witnesses, and renders a decision.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Act addresses rights of individuals with disabilities in employment and public accommodations.

blockbusting

The illegal practice of inducing homeowners to sell their properties by making representations regarding the entry or prospective entry of persons of a particular race or national origin into the neighborhood.

Civil Rights Act of 1866

An act that prohibits racial discrimination in the sale and rental of housing.

conciliation

A form of alternative dispute resolution in which a conciliator meets with each of the parties separately to help them settle their differences voluntarily, without the formality of a hearing or trial.

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Federal agency that has established rules and regulations that further interpret the practices affected by federal law; for example, they distributes an equal housing opportunity poster.

Fair Housing Act

The federal law that prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, and national origin.

Fair Housing Amendments Act

Expansion of the Fair Housing Act to include families with children and those with physical or mental disabilities.

Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA)

Amended the Fair Housing Act to provide that housing intended for persons aged 55 or older no longer needs to have significant facilities and services designed for the elderly.

redlining

The illegal practice by a lending institution of denying loans or restricting their number for certain areas of a community.

steering

The illegal practice of channeling home seekers to particular areas based on their race, national origin, religion, or other protected classification.

Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968

As since amended, the Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, or disability.