Here at realtor.com®, we help people find the home of their dreams. And getting that dream home takes a lot of hard work, dedication and help.
With that, we want to take the opportunity to recognize 50 years of the Fair Housing Act, a landmark piece of legislation that made an essential change in laws that regulate the real estate industry and our nation as a whole, allowing everyone in America access to their dream home.
Part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Civil Rights Act of 1968, the Fair Housing Act made it illegal to refuse to sell or rent a home to anyone based on things like a person’s race, color or religion. Over the years, subsequent modifications have expanded the categories protected by the law to include things like gender, familial status and sexual orientation.
While it is painful to consider that such basic protections were not in place only 50 years ago, the Fair Housing Act was a major step toward creating fair housing regulations for all.
Just as importantly, the Fair Housing Act serves as a declaration that one of the key components of what many call the American Dream – owning your own home, in a neighborhood that you love – will not be limited to people of a certain background or belief system.
We spoke to Steven James, CEO of New York City’s Douglas Elliman Real Estate, who has been in the industry since 1979. He said over the years, the Fair Housing Act has changed the way people buy homes significantly.
“Since Fair Housing was enacted, agents have taken on remarkable transitions and people are able to lead safer, better, happier lives thanks to it. We’ve come a long way,” James said.
The Fair Housing Act wasn’t easy to put in place. But, thanks to the principles the Fair Housing Act codified, and the many individuals and organizations who have worked tirelessly over decades to make equal housing for all a reality, countless home buyers and renters – and our nation’s citizens and communities as a whole – have benefited immeasurably.
“The Act really set a bar for inclusion rather than exclusion, and as long as it continues to do that, I think people are going to be happier with where they live, no matter where they live,” James added.
In the years to come, we look forward to doing all we can to ensure that real estate and housing in our nation is fair, equitable and just.
And from all of us at realtor.com®, we hope to be your destination at all stages of the home journey, from home dreamer to homeowner.
Check out more information on the Fair Housing Act from the National Association of REALTORS® including historical videos, the changes to the law over the past 50 years, and the work that continues.