A Brief History on Fair Housing:

The Fair Housing Act of 1968, also known as the Civil Rights Act of 1968, was passed by Congress shortly after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Today, the Fair Housing Act protects people from discrimination when they are renting or buying a home, getting a mortgage, seeking housing assistance, or engaging in other housing-related activities. Currently, the Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on the following protected classes: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or familial status.

For the state of California, the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and Unruh Civil Rights Act were passed in 1959 to provide state-wide protections against discrimination in housing. Further, California law protects individuals from illegal discrimination by housing providers based on the following protected classes: race, color, ancestry, national origin, primary language, age, religion, mental or physical disability, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, familial status, source of income, and military or veteran status.  

The City of Soledad Housing Division prioritizes collaborating with HUD Certified Counseling agencies to raise awareness on housing discrimination and provide educational resources related to fair housing and equal opportunities for all.

Fair Housing Resources:

ECHO Housing conducts educational trainings and workshops to inform the public, especially landlords and tenants, about Fair Housing and state housing laws. Their services include: Fair Housing counseling and investigation; tenant/landlord counseling and mediation;  Home Buyer Education and counseling. Click here to Register or View Upcoming Webinars & Events

To contact ECHO Housing regarding referrals or questions, please call: 855-ASK-ECHO or 510-581-9380.

The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) works to eliminate housing discrimination, promote economic opportunity, and achieve diverse, inclusive communities by leading the nation in the enforcement, administration, development, and public understanding of federal fair housing policies and laws.

 To report housing discrimination, please call: 1-800-669-9777 or TTY 1-800-927-9275 or Submit a Complaint Online.

The Civil Rights Department of the State of California is responsible for enforcing state fair housing laws that make it illegal to discriminate because of protected class.

To contact the State of California, Civil Rights Department for questions or to file complaints, please call: 800-884-1684 or 800-700-2230 (TTY) or Submit a Complaint Online.

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