Prepared by: Community Development Department,

City Of Decatur, Alabama.For more information on Fair Housing

or on how to file a complaint, contact theFair Housing Center of Northern Alabama,

Birmingham, AL, at 866-740-1040or www.fhcna.com.

Sources: www.justice.gov/crt/housing/housing_coverage.php

and www.HUD.gov

• Whathappened?

• Whowasinvolved?

• Wheredidithappen?

• Whendidithappen?

• Yournameandaddress

• Thenameandaddressofthepersonyour

complaintisagainst(therespondent)

• Theaddressorotheridentificationofthe

housing involved

• Ashortdescriptionoftheallegedviolation

(theeventthatcausedyoutobelieveyour

rights were violated)

• Thedate(s)oftheallegedviolation

If you think your housing rights were violated, reflect and document:

What to Tell HUD:

100% of units are occupied by those 62 or older

OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS APPLY

80% or more of units are occupied by at least

one person who is 55 or older

AND the community adheres to a policy that

demonstrates intent to house older persons

AND the community complies with rules

established by the Department of Housing and

Urban Development for verification of

occupancy.

Unless a building or community qualifies as

designated housing for older persons, a housing

provider may not discriminate based on familial

status.

Familial Status:What you should know

• Pregnantwomen

• Fosterchildren

• Adoptedchildren

• Grandparentsraisingtheirgrandchildren

• Childrenwhosplittimebetweenparents’

homes and only live there part-time

• Thedesigneeoftheparent/legalcustodian,

withtheparent’sorcustodian’swritten

permission

• Anyonesecuringlegalcustodyofachild

under 18

The only exemption to familial status protection is designated housing for older persons as defined as:

“Familial status” is defined as any household with one or more children under 18, including:

It is illegal to treat families with children under the age

of 18 differently in housing transactions. This includes

a prohibition on advertising “no children” in ads or to

maintain a practice of turning away or treating families

with children differently.

RESTRICTIVE RULES OR POLICIES AIMED AT FAMILY

• Denying children access to recreational or other

amenities within the complex

• Requiringadultsupervisionofchildrenwhenoutside

their apartment

REFUSAL TO RENT

• Notallowingafamilytorentaunitornotingthataunit

is unavailable because of its location within the

complex. For example, a family cannot be denied a

unit because it is in a certain section or on a particular

floor of the complex.

OCCUPANCY RESTRICTIONS

• Restrictingthenumberofpersonsperbedroom(such

as one person) can be viewed as potentially unfair for

families with children.

HOUSING PROVIDERS MUST GIVE FAMILIES WITH

CHILDREN RIGHTS EQUAL TO OTHERS TO LIVE IN

THEIR HOUSING AND THE PROVIDERS MUST NOT

PROVIDE LESS FAVORABLE TREATMENT TO FAMILIES.

What are the ways that a family might be treated unfairly?