[Blog/Commentary] [USA] Amend the Fair Housing Act to ban housing discrimination against LGBT people
Stephanie Stevens
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Excerpt: Discrimination of this kind is pervasive, especially among
transgender people. Preliminary data from a forthcoming and
groundbreaking national survey of transgender and gender identity
discrimination in the U.S. by the Task Force and National Center for
Transgender Equality finds that 11 percent of transgender people
reported having been evicted and 19 percent reported becoming homeless
due to bias. While the general population has a home ownership rate of
68 percent, our survey showed only a 32 percent rate among transgender
people.
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CONGRESS BLOG
Amend the Fair Housing Act to ban housing discrimination against LGBT people
By Rea Carey, Executive Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
- 03/11/10 04:17 PM ET
It is critical that federal lawmakers amend the Fair Housing Act to
ban discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
(LGBT) people.
That’s what I urged lawmakers to do at the March 11 House Committee on
the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and
Civil Liberties hearing titled "Protecting the American Dream: A Look
at the Fair Housing Act." The Task Force was the only LGBT rights
group presenting oral testimony at this historic hearing.
Right now, the Fair Housing Act protects against housing
discrimination based on race or color, religion, sex, national origin,
family status or disability. But the truth of the matter is, every day
in America, people are discriminated in housing simply because of
their sexual orientation or their gender identity.
For us, the pursuit of the American dream, including home ownership,
is a risky proposition. When our sexual orientation or gender identity
is known, either because we offer it willingly or a landlord, realtor
or lender is made aware by other means, there is potential for
outright hostility, property damage and even physical violence.
The Task Force has heard stories over the years from lesbians, gay
men, bisexual and transgender people who were discriminated against
when trying to secure a roof over their heads. One same-sex couple was
forced to tell potential landlords they were roommates because they
were harassed and rejected when they applied as a couple. In
Baltimore, a transgender man upon meeting the potential landlord was
confronted with a $100 per month increase in the quoted rent and was
told checks were not accepted. When his female friend inquired about
the same apartment, she was told checks were accepted and the rent was
not raised.
Discrimination of this kind is pervasive, especially among transgender
people. Preliminary data from a forthcoming and groundbreaking
national survey
<http://www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/release_materials/tf_enda_fact_sheet.pdf>
of transgender and gender identity discrimination in the U.S. by the
Task Force and National Center for Transgender Equality finds that 11
percent of transgender people reported having been evicted and 19
percent reported becoming homeless due to bias. While the general
population has a home ownership rate of 68 percent, our survey showed
only a 32 percent rate among transgender people.
LGBT seniors also face heightened housing insecurity. As the Task
Force report Outing Age
<http://www.thetaskforce.org/reports_and_research/outing_age_2010>
lays out, LGBT seniors are more likely to be forced to leave their
home because of increased financial costs resulting from anti-LGBT
discrimination. As seniors need to move out of their homes and into
smaller residences, they are especially vulnerable.
The apartment's suddenly not available, the house is no longer on the
market, the price just shot up...you name it, landlords, real estate
agents and lenders are not prohibited from discriminating against
folks who are LGBT.
Twenty states and D.C. prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation, and 13 states and D.C. include gender identity. But this
patchwork of legislation simply is not enough, and local protections
often do not offer robust enforcement and recourse to victims.
Amending the Fair Housing Act would provide baseline protection for
LGBT people living outside currently protected jurisdictions, and it
would provide.
LGBT individuals suffer pervasive discrimination in so many areas of
their lives. No one should be evicted, be kept from living in certain
areas, or pay more rent simply because of who they are. Nor should
anyone have to lie about who they are in order to have safe housing.
For all these reasons, the Fair Housing Act should be amended to ban
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
To read the full testimony submitted by the National Gay and Lesbian
Task Force Action Fund, click here
<http://www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/release_materials/tf_hud_testimony.pdf>
.
© 2010 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp.