This information is provided by Umatilla County for those who believe they have experienced discrimination in violation of the Federal Fair Housing Act.  Your fair housing rights are protected under Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act). The Act protects people from discrimination when they are renting or buying a home, getting a mortgage, seeking housing assistance or engaging in other housing-related activities.

Citizens of Umatilla County who believe they have experience discrimination in violation of the Federal Fair Housing Act should file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). To file a complaint, you will need to complete the Housing Discrimination Complaint Form either on-line (link below) or by mail. You may also write HUD a letter, or call the HUD Office nearest you. The deadline for filing a complaint is one year from alleged violation.

Please follow the link below for instructions on how to file a Fair Housing Complaint with HUD

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/online-complaint

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN COPIED FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) WEBSITE WHICH CAN BE ACCESSED FROM THE ABOVE LINK

Online

You can file a complaint with FHEO online in English or Spanish.

Email

You can download this form (also available in Arabic, Cambodian, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese) and email it to your local FHEO office at the email address on this list.

Phone

You can speak with an FHEO intake specialist by calling 1-800-669-9777 or 1-800-877-8339. You can also call your regional FHEO office at the phone numbers on this list.

Mail

You can print out this form (also available in Arabic, Cambodian, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese) and mail it to your regional FHEO office at the address on this list.

Information about Filing a Complaint

If you believe your rights may have been violated, we encourage you to submit a complaint. Because there are time limits on when a complaint can be filed with HUD after an alleged violation, you should submit a complaint as soon as possible. When submitting a complaint, please provide as much information as possible, including:

• Your name and address;

• The name and address of the person(s) or organization your complaint is against;

• The address or other identification of the housing or program involved;

• A short description of the event(s) that cause you to believe your rights were violated; and

• The date(s) of the alleged violation.

Privacy Statement:

The information submitted to HUD may be used to investigate and process claims of housing and other types of discrimination. It may be disclosed for lawful investigatory purposes, including to the U.S. Department of Justice for its use in the filing of pattern and practice suits of housing discrimination or the prosecution of the person(s) who committed the discrimination where violence is involved; the public, where appropriate; and to State or local fair housing agencies that administer substantially equivalent fair housing laws for allegation processing. Though disclosure of the information is voluntary, failure to provide some or all of the requested information may result in the delay or denial of help with your housing discrimination allegation.

Retaliation Is Illegal

It is illegal to retaliate against any person for making an allegation, testifying, assisting, or participating in any manner in a proceeding under HUD’s allegation process at any time, even after the investigation has been completed. The Fair Housing Act also makes it illegal to retaliate against any person because that person reported a discriminatory practice to a housing provider or other authority. If you believe you have experienced retaliation, you can report housing discrimination.

Assistance for Persons with Disabilities

HUD provides a toll-free teletypewriter (TTY) line: 1-800-877-8339. You can also ask for disability-related assistance when you contact FHEO, including reasonable accommodations and auxiliary aids and services.

Assistance for Persons with Limited English Proficiency

You can report housing discrimination in any language. For persons with limited English proficiency, HUD provides interpreters. HUD also provides a Spanish language version of the online report housing discrimination form. You can find descriptions of your fair housing rights in several languages other than English on the HUD website.

Types of Complaints Investigated by FHEO

FHEO investigates complaints, which may be one or both of the following types:

Discrimination under the Fair Housing Act (including housing that is privately owned and operated)

Discrimination and other civil rights violations in housing and community development programs, including those funded by HUD

There are additional resources available that are listed on the HUD website with available links:

• Learn About the Complaint Process

• Get Help Before Filing a Complaint

• Complaint Filing in Languages Other than English