Housing

No, your mortgage servicer generally cannot charge you undisclosed fees. Federal law requires clear disclosure of all settlement-related charges before closing.

No, federal law requires lenders to consider your ability to repay before making a mortgage loan.

Before closing on a home purchase, lenders must disclose all settlement costs—including lender fees, title charges, and government fees—using the Loan Estimate (within 3 days of application) and Closing Disclosure (at least 3 business days before closing), as required by federal law.

Public housing is government-owned and operated affordable rental housing for low-income families, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Qualification depends on income (typically at or below 80% of area median income), citizenship or eligible immigration status, and household composition.

A high-cost mortgage is a loan with an APR or fees above federal thresholds, triggering extra protections like mandatory counseling, restrictions on prepayment penalties, and prohibitions on balloon payments and negative amortization.

Yes, mortgage loan originators must be licensed under federal law through the SAFE Act, which requires state licensing and inclusion in the NMLRS registry.

A lender must disclose key loan terms, projected payments, closing costs, and other fees on the Loan Estimate within three business days after receiving your mortgage application.

No, balloon payments are prohibited in high-cost mortgages under federal law.

No, a lender cannot require you to use a specific insurance provider for your mortgage under federal law. The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) prohibits lenders from mandating particular title insurance or other settlement service providers as a condition of lending.

No. Federal law prohibits housing advertisements from stating 'no children' or 'adults only' because it discriminates against families with children.

No, a landlord cannot refuse to rent to a family with children because the Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on familial status.

You have the right to file a complaint with HUD or sue in federal court if you believe you were denied housing due to discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or familial status.

No. Under the federal Fair Housing Act, a homeowner's association (HOA) cannot enforce rules that have a discriminatory effect—even if unintentional—against protected classes such as race, religion, disability, or familial status.

Redlining is the discriminatory practice of denying housing services—like loans or insurance—to people based on the racial composition of their neighborhood. It is illegal under the federal Fair Housing Act.

Yes, you can sue for housing discrimination based on sexual orientation under federal law, because the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Bostock v. Clayton County that discrimination 'because of sex' under the Fair Housing Act includes discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Yes, the Fair Housing Act generally applies to single-family homes rented without a broker — unless the owner qualifies for a narrow exemption.

No. A public housing authority cannot evict you without due process — federal law requires written notice, a hearing, and a fair opportunity to respond before eviction.

No, your landlord cannot legally retaliate against you for filing a fair housing complaint. Federal law explicitly prohibits retaliation under the Fair Housing Act.

Yes, you can be evicted from Section 8 housing for a one-time lease violation if it's serious or threatens health/safety — federal law allows termination for 'good cause,' which includes material lease breaches.

Yes, under the Fair Housing Act, a landlord must allow a disabled tenant to make reasonable modifications to their dwelling at the tenant’s expense, if necessary for full enjoyment of the premises.

If a mortgage company fails to respond to your written complaint about servicing errors, federal law may require them to correct the error and pay penalties—but the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) itself does not directly impose response deadlines or penalties for ignoring complaints; those rules are in RESPA’s implementing regulation, Regulation X (12 C.F.R. Part 1024), which is not provided here.

Housing counseling is expert guidance on renting, buying, avoiding foreclosure, or managing housing costs—and it is available for free through HUD-approved agencies.

Yes, under federal law, you have the right to choose your own title insurance company when buying a home.

Yes, a co-op board can generally reject your application without giving a reason — unless the rejection is based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability, which is illegal under federal law.