The Fair Housing Act, also known as the Fair Housing Act of 1968, is an American law that prohibits discrimination in housing. The Act was passed by Congress on October 10, 1968, and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on November 6 of the same year. The Act applies to all housing, including homes, apartments, condominiums, mobile homes, dormitories, shelters, halfway houses, and places of public accommodation. 

The Housing Act of 1968 was approved to amend title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which was originally passed by Congress in 1968. The FHA prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, financing, or all other aspects of housing (including, but not limited to, leases, mortgages, building materials, furnishings, appliances, and services) based on race, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, or disability.

Struggle for Fair Housing

Despite Supreme Court decisions like Shelley v. Kraemer (1948) and Jones v. Mayer Co. (1968), which prevented the exclusion of African Americans or other minorities from some sections of towns, race-based housing models were still in force by the late 1960s. There were still legal barriers to fair housing, as well as widespread social obstacles that deterred many from pursuing housing alternatives. 

A lot of the African American and Hispanic members of army forces fought and lost their lives in the Vietnam War. After that, the families of the martyrs were facing troubles in renting or purchasing houses in certain residential areas due to their race or national origin. 

Because of the situation, organizations like the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), the National Committee Against Discrimination in Housing, and the G.I. Forum requested for new fair housing law to be passed.

In 1968, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the Fair Housing Act (FHA) could not be enforced against private housing practices that discriminated based on race or other characteristics such as those related to age, gender, and marital status. However, the Court found that Congress could still control FHA-based housing practices by passing a law to do so. In 1974, Congress adopted The Fair Housing Amendments Act (FHAA), which for the first time, made it unlawful to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, familial status, and disability, among other factors.

Impact of the Fair Housing Act

From 1950 to 1980, the Black population in urban centers of America grew from 6.1 million to 15.3 million. This led to the growth in urban America of ghettoes with high minority populations that were irked by crime, unemployment, and other social ills.

In summary, the Fair Housing Act has been a major force in changing the landscape of American housing. The act is still relevant and necessary. The Fair Housing Act was the last major piece of civil rights legislation passed by the United States Congress. It was one of the most important congressional achievements of the 1960s.

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