THIS COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!

I am writing today about a very serious subject that most of us in our daily lives take for granted.

Have you ever walked up a flight of stairs in a home and didn’t think twice about it?

Well now think if you were disabled, even for a short term, or for life, and that same flight of stairs looks much different to you now?

Well that is how people with disabilities have to look at things.

They have to see if the hallway in the home they want to purchase will accommodate a wheelchair, or do I need to place a ramp here in order for me to get to a certain place in the home they want to live in.

As a real estate professional in Los Angeles, I also have to see things that way, and what my clients might need to make their lives more comfortable

These are the decisions most of us don’t even think about, instead we think what color do I want to paint the wall, or what type of tile am I going to choose, etc.

The reason I am writing about this on my blog is to bring awareness on how other people with disabilities have to make decisions on moving into a new home.

This was all brought to my attention by my brother who lives in Las Vegas, and is currently disabled because of a fall he took at his job. He is currently fighting the bureaucracy in the state of Nevada and we all wish him the best, as he is fighting the good fight!

This is what brought me to think of others who have to look for in homes and the decisions they have to make when choosing a place to call home.

I am going to list some information on the Fair Housing Act and also on the seven basic design and construction requirements that must be met.

The Fair Housing Act, as amended in 1988, prohibits housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, and national origin. Its coverage includes private housing, housing that receives Federal financial assistance, and State and local government housing. It is unlawful to discriminate in any aspect of selling or renting housing or to deny a dwelling to a buyer or renter because of the disability of that individual, an individual associated with the buyer or renter, or an individual who intends to live in the residence. Other covered activities include, for example, financing, zoning practices, new construction design, and advertising.

The Fair Housing Act requires owners of housing facilities to make reasonable exceptions in their policies and operations to afford people with disabilities equal housing opportunities. For example, a landlord with a "no pets" policy may be required to grant an exception to this rule and allow an individual who is blind to keep a guide dog in the residence. The Fair Housing Act also requires landlords to allow tenants with disabilities to make reasonable access-related modifications to their private living space, as well as to common use spaces. (The landlord is not required to pay for the changes.) The Act further requires that new multifamily housing with four or more units be designed and built to allow access for persons with disabilities. This includes accessible common use areas, doors that are wide enough for wheelchairs, kitchens and bathrooms that allow a person using a wheelchair to maneuver, and other adaptable features within the units.

Complaints of Fair Housing Act violations may be filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. For more information or to file a complaint, contact:

Office of Program Compliance and Disability Rights
Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 7th Street, S.W. , Room 5242
Washington, D.C. 20410

www.hud.gov/offices/fheo

(800) 669-9777 (voice)
(800) 927-9275 (TTY)

For questions about the accessibility provisions of the Fair Housing Act, contact Fair Housing FIRST at:

www.fairhousingfirst.org

(888) 341-7781 (voice/TTY)

I will continue this on my next blog post, as i am only limited to a certain amount of characters on this site.

all the best

Dave Markowicz

dave@dave4homes.com

www.dave4homes.com

818-961-5300 -Office

818-438-4150 - Cell

CA DRE LIC # - 01868327