April Is Fair Housing Month: 4 Easy Ways to Get Involved

April 11 marks the 55th anniversary of the enactment of the Fair Housing Act, and April itself is designated as Fair Housing month in commemoration. Real estate agents can celebrate Fair Housing Month by taking proactive steps to promote and uphold fair housing principles. Here are some ways that agents can do just that this month—and throughout the year:

Review Fair Housing laws and regulations

Take time to review Fair Housing laws and regulations to ensure you are up to date on any changes or updates. Fortunately, NAR has an entire resource section dedicated to Fair Housing, as well as a resource page for Fair Housing month, which includes links to training, posters, social media graphics, videos, book recommendations and more.

Freddie Mac last week released a progress report on its three-year plan to promote access to equitable and sustainable housing. See that here: Freddie Mac Equitable Housing Finance Plan 2022 Performance Report.

Technology, including online ads, can run afoul of Fair Housing laws. Don't let this happen to you! See this article to ensure your online marketing stays fair: One Simple Rule to Ensure Your Ads Don't Violate Fair Housing Laws.

Attend training sessions

Speaking of training, NAR is offering two live, online events this month on Fair Housing. You can check those out here. If those don't quite fit into your schedule, this recorded workshop on implicit bias may be more your speed.

Prefer books, articles, or podcasts for learning? Check out these two articles we published during Black History Month for a wealth of helpful, relevant information:

• Black History Month: Resources and Trainings
• Black History Month: Books to Learn About Racial Disparities in Real Estate

Display Fair Housing posters

You can display Fair Housing posters in your offices or on your website to demonstrate your commitment to fair housing principles. HUD and NAR both offer versions you can download and print, and you can also check with your local associations or state agencies for similar resources.

Educate clients

You likely underwent training on Fair Housing in order to get your real estate license. So while you may be familiar with the laws, your clients may not be. Be prepared to educate them on Fair Housing laws and regulations during their home buying or selling journey. Do they know, for instance, that writing "buyer love letters" could violate Fair Housing regulations?

Or perhaps members of your community are simply unaware of the housing opportunities available to them. In that case, you can take inspiration from Sabrina Brown, a winner of last year's Fair Housing Champion Awards. Brown hosts workshops to help first-time buyers, especially those of color, connect with programs to help them achieve the dream of homeownership.

Speaking of homeownership opportunities, many would-be buyers view the down payment as a barrier to buying a home. It doesn't have to be, though! Many down payment assistance programs exist, including those for people of color and the LGBTQ community. Many MLSs display down payment assistance eligibility information on their listings. Realtor.com and Zillow do, as well, so this information is out there for both real estate pros and consumers alike! You may only have to point this data out to leads and clients to get them started down the path to homeownership.