Fair Housing

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Fair Housing & Equal Housing Opportunity

Equal-Housing

The County of Hawaiʻi Fair Housing Coordinator serves as a neutral party resource to provide information and to help facilitate the resolution to issues related to the Fair Housing Act.

The Federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination by direct providers, such as landlords and real estate companies as well as other entities, such as municipalities, banks, or other lending institutions and homeowners insurance companies whose discriminatory practices make housing unavailable to person because of:

Race or Color
Religion
Sex
National Origin
Familial Status, or
Disability

The State of Hawaiʻi Fair Housing Laws prohibits discrimination in all real estate or housing related activities on the basis of race, sex, including gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, color, religion, marital status, familial status, ancestry, disability, age, or HIV infection. Effective May 1, 2023, Act 310 prohibits discrimination against housing assistance program (Section 8) participants by many landlords.

This video explains the basics of Fair Housing:

Filing a Complaint

If you believe that your rights may have been violated, please submit your complaint as soon as possible. There are time limits on when a complaint can be filed after an alleged violation.

If you have additional questions or need assistance in completing any of the complaint forms, please call the County of Hawaiʻi, Office of Housing & Community Development to speak with the Fair Housing Coordinator at (808) 323-4304, email fairhousing@hawaiicounty.gov, or visit fairhousinghawaii.org.

File a Complaint with a Federal Agency: HUD

File a Complaint with a Hawaiʻi State Agency: HCRC

Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission (HCRC)
Princess Keʻelikolani Building
830 Punchbowl Street, Room 411
Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96813
Phone: 808-974-4000 Extension 68636#

Call or Complete a Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission Pre-Complaint Questionnaire Form

Fair Housing Enforcement Program: Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi

This agency offers statewide services to victims of housing discrimination, regardless of their income or assets. If you believe that you are a victim of illegal housing discrimination, visit their website at fairhousinghawaii.org or call 1-866-527-FAIR (1-866-527-3247).

Fair Housing Resources

Fair Housing Partners

Fair Housing Seminar 2023 Choices for All Voices:
Building an Equitable Future Free Virtual Event

View recordings of the sessions below:

SESSION 1
Fair Housing 101: Choices for All Voices Building an Equitable Future

SESSION 2
Ask the Experts

SESSION 3
Disability, Reasonable Accommodations and Modifications, and Assistance Animals

SESSION 4
Case Studies in Fair Housing

The 2023 Fair Housing Conference was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission; Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi; County of Kauai; City and County of Honolulu; County of Maui; County of Hawaiʻi; State of Hawaiʻi; Department of Human Services; Department of Hawaiian Homelands; and Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

Legal Disclaimer
The Statewide Fair Housing Conference is provided by these organizations for general information and educational purposes only. Nothing on this webpage may be considered or deemed to constitute legal advice. Due to the rapidly changing nature of the law, information may become outdated. The information presented should not be used by lawyers as a substitute for independent research or by non-lawyers as a substitute for legal or other advice.

Further Information

For more legal information (explanation of the law and the legal system) or for further technical assistance, please contact the following:

Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi: (808) 536-4302
Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission: (808) 586-8636
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: (808) 457-4677
HSBA Lawyer Referral and Information Service: (808) 537-9140

If you feel you require legal advice, please speak with a private attorney.

Legal Disclaimer

This webpage is provided by the County of Hawaiʻi’s Office of Housing and Community Development for general information and educational purposes only. Nothing on this webpage may be considered or deemed to constitute legal advice. Due to the rapidly changing nature of the law, information may become outdated. The information presented should not be used by lawyers as a substitute for independent research or by non-lawyers as a substitute for legal or other advice.

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