What are the protected classes under the federal Fair Housing Act?

7 protected classes are covered by the federal Fair Housing Act: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability. HUD interprets discrimination based on sex to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Georgia's Fair Housing Law provides similar protections at the state level.

Does the Terence Richardson Group follow fair housing laws?

Yes. The Terence Richardson Group at Compass conducts business in accordance with the federal Fair Housing Act, Georgia's Fair Housing Law, and applicable local ordinances. In practice that means 3 things. Every buyer sees every home that fits their criteria and budget. Every listing is marketed to the entire market. And on topics like schools and safety, clients are pointed to objective primary sources, not characterizations.

How do I report housing discrimination in Georgia?

Housing discrimination complaints can be filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, online at hud.gov/fairhousing or by phone at 1-800-669-9777. Complaints generally must be filed within 1 year of the alleged discrimination. Concerns involving the Terence Richardson Group can also be raised directly at terence@terencerichardson.com.

Fair Housing Commitment

The Terence Richardson Group at Compass supports the federal Fair Housing Act and the principle behind it. Everyone deserves an equal opportunity to buy, sell, rent, and finance housing. We conduct our business in accordance with federal, state, and local fair housing laws. We are proud to operate under the Equal Housing Opportunity standard.

What the Fair Housing Act protects

The federal Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to discriminate in the sale, rental, advertising, or financing of housing. The protected classes are:

Race
Color
Religion
Sex (which HUD interprets to include sexual orientation and gender identity)
National origin
Familial status (including families with children under 18 and pregnant women)
Disability

Georgia's Fair Housing Law provides similar protections at the state level. Some local jurisdictions add protections of their own.

What that looks like in our practice

We show every buyer every home that fits their stated criteria and budget. We do not steer anyone toward or away from any neighborhood.
Every listing we represent is marketed to the entire market, and offers are evaluated on their terms.
Our marketing describes properties, never the people who should live in them.
Ask about schools, safety, or who lives in an area, and we do the same thing every time. We point you to objective primary sources: school report cards, published statistics, census data. You weigh the facts yourself. We do not characterize a community for you. That is the fair housing standard, and it is also the data-driven way to do it.
Pricing guidance, offer strategy, and negotiation advice run on market data and nothing else.

If you believe you experienced discrimination

You can file a fair housing complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. File online at hud.gov/fairhousing or by calling 1-800-669-9777. If your concern involves anyone on our team, we want to hear it directly: email terence@terencerichardson.com or call or text 678-785-5275.

This page is a statement of commitment and practice, not legal advice. For legal questions about fair housing, consult an attorney or contact HUD directly.

Our fair housing commitment