U.S. Bans Housing Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity
The Department of Housing and Urban Development will use the Fair Housing Act to fight discrimination of gay, nonbinary and trans individuals.
The announcement from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development fulfills an executive order aimed at combating sex discrimination — one of several orders signed by President Joe Biden on his first day in office.
Photographer: Doug Mills/The New York TimesThe U.S. government said it will prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity under the Fair Housing Act and investigate complaints against gay, nonbinary, trans and other LGBTQ individuals dating back to Jan. 20, 2020 — retroactive for one year under the current statute of limitations.
As part of this new remit, the Department of Housing and Urban Development plans to pursue and investigate complaints from tenants, homebuyers and others who say that they have been subject to discrimination on those grounds, the agency said in a Feb. 11 statement. Department officials said that HUD is the first agency to fulfill an executive order regarding sex discrimination issued by President Joe Biden on his first day in office.