HUD clarifies LGBT housing discrimination protections
Published 08/19/2010
by Dana Rudolph
http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=5010 (http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=5010)
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development last month announced new guidance to help LGBT people who encounter discrimination in housing. Like a recent move by the Department of Labor, the HUD announcement is more of a clarification than a new policy – but two LGBT leaders familiar with housing issues say the move is "very significant" and "much needed."
The new guidance, announced July 1 by HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan at the agency's LGBT Pride Month celebration, states that, although the Fair Housing Act does not explicitly cover sexual orientation- or gender identity-based housing discrimination, such discrimination may be covered by the FHA in other ways. For example, the guidance explains, gender identity discrimination may be seen as gender discrimination, and discrimination against a gay man because of fear he will spread HIV/AIDS may constitute illegal discrimination on the basis of a perceived disability, HIV/AIDS.