Housing Bias Complaints Continue to Trend Upward

Washington, D.C. — The number of fair housing complaints filed nationwide peaked to record numbers for the third year in a row, continuing an upward trend highlighting the need for adequate funding for local nonprofit fair housing agencies working to address growing housing injustices nationwide, the National Fair Housing Alliance® (NFHA™) said on Wednesday.

There were 34,150 fair housing complaints received in 2023, compared to 33,007 complaints received in 2022, according to findings in the 2024 Fair Housing Trends Report. There was a noticeably steep increase in the number of harassment complaints, particularly harassment based on color or race, which skyrocketed by 470.59 percent and 114.97 percent respectively.

“The continued increase in reports of housing discrimination means lawmakers are simply not doing enough to provide adequate resources for the organizations serving on the frontlines educating the public about fair housing laws and helping individuals and families when crucial civil rights laws are broken,” said Lisa Rice, NFHA’s President and CEO. “Fifty-six years after the enactment of the Fair Housing Act, we still have not dismantled the longstanding systems that continue to perpetuate discrimination against women, people of color, people with disabilities, and other historically marginalized groups.”

Despite recent news stories of high profile individuals facing inequities when seeking to buy a home or rent an apartment, reported cases only tell part of the story of housing discrimination. Most of the millions of housing discrimination incidents each year go unreported because they are difficult to identify or document. In other cases, individuals might fear facing retaliation or eviction if they file a complaint. Still, tracking the available data is important as it helps shine a light on where resources are most needed.

“Private nonprofit fair housing organizations (FHOs) processed 75.52 percent of complaints, a 5.68 percent increase from the previous year. These FHOs — which investigate fair housing complaints, collect data, provide fair housing counseling and education to consumers, and help clients file complaints — require significantly more funding to continue their important work. Congress must step up to ensure FHOs receive adequate funding to enforce the nation’s fair housing laws,” said Morgan Williams, NFHA’s General Counsel.

In addition, Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) agencies processed 19.26 percent of complaints, while the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) processed 5.10 percent of complaints, and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) processed 0.12 percent of complaints. FHAP agencies, which are functions of local and state governments and enforce local and state fair housing laws; HUD, which enforces the Federal Fair Housing Act and conducts investigations throughout the nation and U.S. territories; and DOJ, which investigates and prosecutes fair housing complaints that present a pattern or practice of discrimination, must also be adequately funded by Congress to handle the increase in fair housing complaints in a timely manner.

Once again, discrimination based on disability accounted for the majority (52.61 percent) of complaints filed with FHOs, HUD, and FHAP agencies. There were 1,521 complaints of harassment reported, an increase of 66.23 percent. This number represents the highest number of harassment complaints reported since NFHA began reporting harassment-specific data in 2006.

NFHA has produced the Fair Housing Trends Report annually since the mid-1990s as part of its mission to eliminate housing discrimination and ensure equitable housing opportunities for all people and communities.

Eighty-six NFHA member organizations, either private non-profit fair housing organizations or fair housing programs of legal aid agencies, submitted data for this report. HUD’s 10 regional offices and 77 state and local government agencies in HUD’s FHAP program also provided data. In addition, the report contains information gathered from the DOJ.

• Click here to read the full report and view an interactive map highlighting key findings by state. 

Anyone who believes they have experienced housing discrimination may click here to file a complaint.

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The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) is the country’s only national civil rights organization dedicated solely to eliminating all forms of housing and lending discrimination and ensuring equal opportunities for all people. As the trade association for over 170 fair housing and justice-centered organizations and individuals throughout the U.S. and its territories, NFHA works to dismantle longstanding barriers to equity and build diverse, inclusive, well-resourced communities.