Our Fair and Equal Housing Policies Boston Homes Realty, Inc. and its agents commit to comply with the Fair Housing standards assuring the right to housing free from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status and national origin. State & Federal laws have been set forth to insure the equal opportunity of housing for all people involved in the purchase, sale or lease of a home or an apartment. The Civil Rights Act of 1966 prohibits all racial discrimination in the sale or rental of property. The Fair Housing Act declares a national policy of fair housing throughout the United States, making illegal any discrimination in the sale, lease, or rental of housing, or making housing otherwise unavailable, because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin. Additionally, Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in places of public accommodations and commercial facilities. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act makes discrimination unlawful with respect to any aspect of a credit application on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age or because all or part of the applicant’s income derives from any public assistance program. State and local laws often provide broader coverage and prohibit discrimination based on additional classes not covered by federal law. As a seller or property owner, you have a responsibility and a requirement under the law not to discriminate in the sale, rental and financing of property based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin. Likewise, you cannot instruct the licensed broker or salesperson acting as your agent to convey for you any limitations in the sale or rental because the real estate professional is bound by law not to discriminate. Agents in a real estate transaction are prohibited from complying with a request from the home seller or property owner to act in a discriminatory manner in the sale, lease or rental of a property. Furthermore, a home seller or property owner cannot establish discriminatory terms or conditions in the purchase or rental, deny that housing is available, or advertise that the property is available only to persons of a certain race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national original. As a buyer or renter, you have the right to expect that housing will be available to you without discrimination or other limitations based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin. This includes the right to expect equal professional service, ability to consider housing options of various prices, no discriminatory limitations on communities or locations of housing, no discrimination or discriminatory term in condition in the purchase, rental, financing, appraising, or insuring of housing, reasonable accommodations in rules, practices and procedures for persons with disabilities, and to be free from harassment or intimidation for exercising your fair housing rights IF YOU SUSPECT DISCRIMINATION
If you suspect discrimination, you can contact the management at Boston Homes Realty at 617-369-4500 or info@bhre.net or the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 1-800-669-9777. Please email us with any more questions regarding these policies. |