Everyone needs a safe, affordable roof over their head. Yet some property owners refuse to provide housing to Marylanders based on their source of income, race, ability or other protected characteristics. This is illegal according to Maryland’s fair housing laws, but we currently have trouble proving discrimination. SB180 will change that and make it easier to detect and root out housing discrimination.

Fair housing programs test housing providers to ensure that they are following the law and root out discrimination. This work in Maryland is more important than ever since at the federal level, staffing and funding of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has been slashed. As a result, federal investigation and enforcement of complaints have fallen.

A recent report found that complaints of housing discrimination have increased with disability-related discrimination being the most reported complaint, followed by discrimination based on race and national origin. Against this backdrop, it is more important than ever that Maryland strengthen its ability to detect, deter, and enforce the law.

Take action to protect fair housing today!

SB180 strengthens Maryland’s ability to promote fair housing and prevent discrimination by allowing fair housing testers to record conversations with housing providers. These conversations can later be used in evidence if the provider breaks the law.
In 39 states, fair housing testers use a recording device to accurately capture the conversation. In New York, housing organizations and New York City won a $2.2 million settlement for source of income discrimination. New Jersey won a $40,000 settlement for source of income discrimination. Maryland, despite finding cases of source of income housing discrimination, has not been able to reach a settlement because we can’t record in the same way that provides strong enough proof to lead to a settlement.

SB180 allows qualified fair housing organizations to use recording devices for testing purposes. There are several benefits to this, including:

• Strengthens fair housing enforcement & justice in Maryland.
• Protects Testers and Housing Providers. Having an exact account of a conversation protects testers from any credibility or bias as well as protects housing providers from false allegations, misunderstandings, or faulty memories of testers.
• Efficient Allocation of Resources. Saves fair housing organizations money because they can reduce the number of testers used, thereby saving using city, county, state, and using federal funds more efficiently and effectively. The use of recorders also allows organizations to maintain the highest investigative standards.

The ability to document test experiences through audio recordings provides incontrovertible evidence of illegal housing discrimination.

Take action today to support SB 180 and strengthen Maryland’s ability to enforce its fair housing laws!

If you’re a Maryland resident and have been discriminated against while looking for housing, please fill out our intake form here.