The Fair Housing Act is a federal law that protects people from discrimination in housing based on seven protected classes: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and family status. Under this law, it is illegal to discriminate in renting or selling housing, mortgage lending, or housing advertisements. The Act also requires housing providers to make reasonable accommodations or modifications for people with disabilities so they can fully use and enjoy their homes.
At its core, fair housing is about ensuring that everyone has equal access to a safe, stable place to live – free from prejudice or exclusion. Yet, discrimination still occurs, often hidden or unreported.
We work to expose and challenge these discriminatory practices in two ways. First, we educate communities about their fair housing rights, empowering people to recognize when their rights have been violated and take action. Second, we conduct fair housing testing – a strategy that helps uncover discrimination by determining whether potential renters or homebuyers are treated differently based on a protected class. Testers pose as prospective tenants or buyers, documenting whether housing providers provide consistent information and treatment.
Through education, advocacy, and testing, we work to build communities where everyone has an equal opportunity to find and keep a home, regardless of who they are.
How We Help
Have you experienced discrimination while renting or buying a home? We may be able to help.
We investigate fair housing complaints, advocate for reasonable accommodations or modifications on behalf of people with disabilities and represent clients through the process of filing complaints with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Through a HUD grant, we provide these services to residents who live in – or were discriminated against in housing located in – the following counties: Adams, Amite, Bolivar, Claiborne, Clarke, Coahoma, Copiah, Covington, Forrest, Franklin, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Humphreys, Issaquena, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Lawrence, Leflore, Lincoln, Marion, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Sharkey, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Sunflower, Walthall, Warren, Washington, Wayne, and Wilkinson.
If you believe your fair housing rights have been violated or need assistance, please contact us by email at housing@mscenterforjustice.org or call 1-877-352-2269, option 5.
Get Involved
- Request a Fair Housing presentation in your community to help educate and empower others about their rights.
- Become a tester. Help us uncover housing discrimination by serving as a fair housing tester. Testers receive a small stipend for each completed test. Learn more about testing here.
- Report discrimination. If you believe your fair housing rights have been violated, contact us so we can help.
Resources
Interactive Tool for Reasonable Accommodation Requests for Assistance Animals in Housing
Assessing a Person’s Request to Have an Assistance Animal under the FHA
Violence against Women Act (VAWA) Protections
DOJ Service Animals and Assistance Animals
Letter Generator Tool
Disability discrimination is the most common type of discrimination under the Fair Housing Act. If you need assistance requesting a Reasonable Accommodation or Reasonable Modification at your place of residence, please click here to access our letter generator tool.
It is illegal under fair housing laws for a landlord to refuse to make reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications. Although the Fair Housing Act applies to most type of housing, there are some exemptions that might exempt a landlord.
A reasonable accommodation is a change in a rule, policy, or practice that are necessary to allow a person with a disability to have equal enjoyment of their home. The general rule is that the housing provider bears any cost associated with reasonable accommodation requests.
A reasonable modification is a physical or structural change in a unit or a building that is necessary to allow a person with a disability to have equal enjoyment of their home. The general rule is that the tenant bears any cost associated with the modification. However, this may change depending on the type of housing.
To use this tool you must accept our terms of use.
This website will help you create a letter asking your landlord for a change in a rule or policy or for permission to make changes to your apartment. To help you create this letter, you will be asked for your name, address, email address, and telephone number. The letter created from this website is a request only. Verification from a licensed professional may also be requested from your housing provider to confirm the request.
You will also be asked for information about your disability and your need for a reasonable accommodation or modification.
The information that you give will be saved in the Mississippi Center for Justice files in case you call us for help in the future.
We will not give any of your information to anyone unless you ask us to.
The Mississippi Center for Justice (“the Center”) is a non-profit legal firm that provides this website as a free service to Mississippi residents who are:
- Individuals with disabilities;
- Advocates acting on behalf individuals with disabilities on a not-for-profit basis;
- Lawyers and their staff giving not-for-profit or reduced-fee legal help to individuals with disabilities.
When you use this website you agree to all of the terms listed below. Please read them carefully. Also check this page periodically because MCJ may update these terms. All updates become effective when posted.
Using this site means you agree to review and follow these:
- Terms of Use
- All updates
- Other rules posted at this site.
Together, these terms, updates, and other rules form the complete agreement between you and MCJ. The most recent version always supersedes any previous version, whether oral or written.
Permitted Use
This website is intended for use by individuals with disabilities, advocates acting on behalf of individuals with disabilities on a not-for-profit basis, and lawyers and their staff giving not-for-profit or reduced-fee legal help to people with disabilities. This website is intended to assist individuals with disabilities in requesting a reasonable accommodation or reasonable modification from housing providers. By using this website, you are agreeing that you will only use this website for its intended use.
You Agree to Provide Accurate and Truthful Information
By using this website, you will be asked to provide your (or your client’s) name, address, telephone number, email address, and information relating to your (or your client’s) disability and need for accommodation or modification. By agreeing to the terms of use, you are warranting that the information you provide to the website is accurate and truthful.
MCJ is Not Your Lawyer
This website is not a substitute for legal advice from a lawyer. The website provides information regarding requests for a reasonable accommodation or modification, but it is not a substitute for legal advice from a qualified lawyer. Your use of this website does not create any attorney-client relationship or any other fiduciary relationship between you and MCJ. The accuracy of the Content is neither warranted nor guaranteed and you use the website at your own risk.
If you wish to seek legal advice regarding your request for reasonable accommodation or modification or another fair housing issue, you should call MCJ at 1-877-352-2269 or by email at housing@mscenterforjustice.org.
Advocate Responsibilities
This website may be used by advocates, including those acting on behalf of individuals with disabilities on a not-for-profit basis and lawyers and their staff giving not-for-profit or reduced-fee legal help to individuals with disabilities.
When you use this website as an advocate, you agree that you alone are responsible for:
- Protecting your client’s and your interests,
- Using your own professional judgment to apply any information from this site to the facts and circumstances of your case,
- Verifying any information you get from this site,
- Personally assuring that your advice is based on accurate and complete information and research from any available sources, and
- Complying with all rules and ethical standards that may apply to you.