What is Fair Housing?

Fair Housing means that individuals have equal housing opportunities and the right to choose where they want to live without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, family status, or disability. These rights are protected by the Federal Fair Housing Act. The Ohio Housing Law provides additional protection based upon ancestry and military status.

Click on the Equal Housing Opportunity logo to learn more about the Acts, Ordinances and Executive Orders that give us the ability to enforce fair housing rights.

What is the Purpose of Fair Housing?

The purpose of Fair Housing is to protect our freedom of residence by ensuring that we are all able to live in the housing of our choice which we can afford. Fair Housing laws apply to all housing and housing related transactions, including: rental, sales, insurance, lending, etc.

Protection Against Acts of Discrimination in Housing

The Department of Justice ("DOJ") and the Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD") are jointly responsible for enforcing the federal Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability.

Find out what protections against discrimination are available to disabled persons by clicking on the picture to the left.

What about the Landlord-Tenant Law?

State law defines landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities in the Ohio Landlord-Tenant Law.

Click on the picture for more information on Ohio Landlord-Tenant Law.

How does the County of Summit enforce Fair Housing Rights?

The County of Summit contracts with local fair housing agencies to provide education and outreach, to monitor local housing practices and to ensure equal housing opportunity. You will find links to two agencies below.

Fair Housing Contact Service

Fair Housing Advocates Association

What are your rights?

We have educational brochures in English and other languages. Click on the picture to go to the page where you can select the brochure in the language of your choice.

How is a complaint filed?

Click on the picture to the left to go to the page with brochures, in several different languages, that will aid you in the process of filing a complaint.