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FAIR HOUSING IN AMERICA
CHRONOLOGY OF IMPORTANT CONSTITUTIONAL
ACTS AND FEDRAL LEGISLATION
| 1787 | U.S. Constitution (Article 1, Section 2) |
For purposes of number of representatives, slaves count as three-fifths of a person. |
| 1791 | Bill of Rights (First 10 Amedments) |
Fifth Amendment guarantees right to “due process.” |
| 1865 | 13th Amendment | Slavery abolished, and Congress given power to enact appropriate legislation to enforce this article. |
| 1866 | Civil Rights Act of 1866 (42 U.S.C. 1982) | Enacted under authority of 13th Amendment, this Act guarantees all real and personal property rights enjoyed by “white citizens” to all U.S. citizens regardless of race. |
| 1868 | 14th Amendment | 14th Amendment (and 5th Amendment) prohibits government discrimination. |
| 1962 | Executive Order 11063 | President Kennedy directs all federal agencies to take all action necessary to prevent discrimination because of race, color, creed or national origin. |
| 1964 | Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) |
1) Prohibits discrimination based upon race, color and national
origin in federally assisted programs, including public housing. 2) Authorizes withholding of federal funding from state or local grantees engaging in discriminatory activity. |
| 1968 | Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Title VIII -The Fair Housing Act) |
1) Outlaws private discrimination in housing, including refusal
to rent or sell. 2) Also outlaws private discrimination in advertising, terms of sale or rental, blockbusting, and use of real estate services. 3) Exemption for individual owners of single-family home (where no real estate broker is used) if owner does not own more than three such homes. 4) Exemption for housing operations by qualifying religious groups or private clubs. |
| 1973 | Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) | Prohibits discrimination against handicapped persons in all federally assisted programs, including housing. |
| 1974 | Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) | Prohibits credit discrimination in housing, based upon race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status or age. |
| 1974 | Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 | 1) Expands Fair Housing Act to include prohibition of sex discrimination in housing. 2) Creates “Section 8” programs. 3) Establishes Block Grant program and Urban Development Action Grant program. |
| 1975 | The Age Discrimination Act of 1975 | Prohibits discrimination on the basis of age in programs receiving federal financial assistance. |
| 1980 | Executive Order 12259 | President Carter expands Kennedy’s 1962 Executive Order to include sex-based discrimination, and grants HUD secretary additional authority to issue regulations. |
| 1988 | Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 | 1) Broadens Title VIII to include protected classes of handicapped persons and
familial status (with exception for older person housing). 2) Mandates handicapped accessibility requirements for new multi-family properties, and permits handicapped tenants to modify existing housing (at tenant’s expense). 3) Increases civil and administrative enforcement relating to potential damages and attorney’s fees. |
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