NFHTA Forum | Bostock and Beyond: Practical Applications of LGBTQIA+ Fair Housing Protections

Equal opportunity to access, use, and enjoy housing, including rental housing and homeownership opportunities, is the cornerstone of America’s federal housing policy. However, LGBTQIA+ individuals’ housing opportunities are often constrained by others’ prejudice because of one’s sexual orientation or gender identity. According to a 2020 UCLA study, same-sex couples are significantly more likely to report they were refused housing (15 percent vs. 6 percent) and are less likely to own homes than different-sex couples (64 percent vs. 75 percent).
This forum was dedicated to enriching fair housing professionals’ understanding of the fair housing protections afforded to the LGBTQIA+ community as described in the HUD-sponsored LGBTQIA+ Fair Housing Toolkit. This forum explored the practical applications of three key policy landmarks: Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia; President Biden’s January 20, 2021, Executive Order 13988 on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation; and HUD’s Implementation of Executive Order 13988 on the Enforcement of the Fair Housing Act guidance. Additionally, the forum clarified LGBTQIA+ related protections afforded in HUD programs under the Equal Access Rule.
Participants learned how the Fair Housing Act can be used to enforce the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and for specific groups within it. The forum’s panelists provide insight into housing experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals who have a higher risk of experiencing housing discrimination including both seniors, youth, people of color, and transgender individuals. In addition, panelists provide applied examples of the ways LGBTQIA+ discrimination can manifest. Finally, panelists highlight how housing providers can utilize robust non-discrimination housing policies and practices to foster a diverse and inclusive housing environment. Over 647 fair housing partners joined the conversation.