HIV Discrimination in Housing: OHH Wants to Hear from You

Cross-posted from HUD ExchangeExit Disclaimer

We are only a few weeks away from Fair Housing Month (April 2020) and HUD’s Office of HIV/AIDS Housing (OHH) would like to hear from you about your experiences with HIV/AIDS discrimination in housing.

Every year during Fair Housing Month, the country commemorates the passage of the Fair Housing Act, which protects individuals from housing discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin. Fair Housing Month is also a time to educate members of the public about their rights and to continue to combat housing discrimination in all its forms. Although housing discrimination because of HIV/AIDS is illegal under the Fair Housing Act, many victims may not know they are protected or may be afraid to file a fair housing complaint.

If you are aware of someone who has experienced housing discrimination because of HIV/AIDS, OHH wants to hear from you. Please submit your responses to HOPWA@HUD.gov with the subject line, “HIV/AIDS Discrimination in Housing” no later than Friday, March 13, 2020.

Your responses will help us to better understand where discrimination may be occurring and what barriers may be restricting equal access to housing opportunities. Helpful responses will include stories of housing discrimination because of HIV/AIDS, the geographic location of discrimination, and if never reported to HUD, the reason the discrimination was never reported.

OHH will use your responses to better understand instances where HOPWA clients may be experiencing stigma and discrimination because of their HIV status. Since this information will be transmitted electronically, please submit your stories using your agency’s email address and change or omit any personally identifiable information (PII) about your clients prior to submission. The geographic location should be identified at the county or city level.

Please note: Providing information to OHH on housing discrimination because of HIV/AIDS is voluntary and does not constitute submitting a Fair Housing complaint to HUD. Your client may also file a Fair Housing Act complaint with HUD (see complaint filing information below).

Filing a Fair Housing Act Complaint

If you or someone you know is experiencing housing discrimination because of HIV/AIDS or another protected characteristic, you can file a complaint online or contact HUD by phone at 1 (800) 669-9777 (voice) or 1 (800) 877-8339 (TTY).

Housing discrimination based on HIV/AIDS is illegal. Please help us eliminate this type of discrimination once and for all. Learn more about HIV-related housing discrimination and the types of fair housing protections availableExit Disclaimer.