U.S. Department
of Justice
50th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act
On April 11, 2018, the Department of Justice recognized the 50th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act. Throughout the month of April, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been highlighting the importance of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 which expanded on previous acts and prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, sex, (and as amended) handicap and family status.
On April 20, 2018, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez participated in the Tampa Bay Fair Housing Consortium’s 15th Annual Fair Housing Symposium and reaffirmed the office’s commitment to making fair housing and other civil rights matters a priority in our district.
Civil Division Assistant U.S. Attorney Yohance Pettis attended the Southwest Florida Annual Fair Housing Summit in Fort Myers and highlighted the importance of the Fair Housing Act.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions also announced the nationwide rollout of an initiative aimed at increasing awareness and reporting of sexual harassment in housing. The announcement includes an interagency task force between the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Justice Department to combat sexual harassment in housing, an outreach toolkit, and a public awareness campaign.
U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez is featured in the Department’s public service announcements providing valuable information to listeners, in English and Spanish, about reporting sexual harassment in housing.
More information about the Civil Rights Division and the civil rights laws it enforces is available at www.usdoj.gov/crt. Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of sexual harassment in housing should call the Department at 1-844-380-6178, send an e-mail to fairhousing@usdoj.gov, or contact HUD at 1-800-669-9777.