Fair Housing Advertising Audit

LEXINGTON-FAYETTE URBAN COUNTY HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION FAIR HOUSING ADVERTISING AUDIT STAFF POSITION PAPER 09-01 AUGUST 1, 2008 162 EAST MAIN STREET, SUITE 226 LEXINGTON, KY 40507 PH: 859-252-4931 FAX/TDD: 859-252-7057 WEB SITE: WWW.LFUCHRC.ORG E-MAIL: LFUCHRC@QX.NET INTRODUCTION For a period beginning in May of 2008 and concluding the end of June 2008, the staff of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission attempted to undertake an audit or review of advertising and marketing of the local housing market with the various media sources for compliance with fair housing laws. Said audit included rental, sale of homes, homeownership insurance, and lending. 1 2Our audit began with a review of fair housing laws and regulations. Federal , State , 3and Local fair housing law states that “It shall be unlawful…to make, print, or publish, or cause to be made, printed or published any notice, statement, or advertisement, with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap (disability), familial status (presence of children under 18) or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Lexington’s Local Ordinance 201-99 additionally prohibits housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Both state and local laws have been found to be ...