Our Commitment to Fair Housing

NOTE:  The majority of the content on this page is taken from the National Association of REALTORS® “What Everyone Should Know about Equal Opportunity in Housing” article

The sale and purchase of a home is one of the most significant events that any person will experience in their lifetime. It is more than the simple purchase of housing, for it includes the hopes, dreams, aspirations, and economic future of those involved.  TripleCord Real Estate is committed to upholding fair housing regulations, assuring equal opportunity for all home seekers and sellers, and conducting our business in accordance with all federal, state, and local fair housing laws. It is our policy to provide housing opportunities to all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, handicap, national origin or sexual orientation. The company's fair housing procedures are not recommendations. They must be followed by everyone associated with our company.

The Law

Civil Rights Act of 1866: The Civil Rights Act of 1866 prohibits all racial discrimination in the sale or rental of property.

Fair Housing Act: The Fair Housing Act declares a national policy of fair housing throughout the United States. The law makes illegal any discrimination in the sale, lease or rental of housing, or making housing otherwise unavailable, because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.

Americans with Disabilities Act: Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in places of public accommodations and commercial facilities.

Equal Credit Opportunity Act: The Equal Credit Opportunity Act makes discrimination unlawful with respect to any aspect of a credit application on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age or because all or part of the applicant's income derives from any public assistance program.

State and Local Laws: State and local laws often provide broader coverage and prohibit discrimination based on additional classes not covered by federal law.

Responsibilities Under the Law

The home seller, the home seeker, and the real estate professional all have rights and responsibilities under the law.

For Home Sellers: As a home seller you have a responsibility and a requirement under the law not to discriminate in the sale of property on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. You cannot instruct our brokerage or the salesperson acting as your agent to convey for you any limitations in the sale because we are also bound by law not to discriminate. Under the law, you cannot establish discriminatory terms or conditions in the purchase, deny that housing is available, or advertise that the property is available only to persons of a certain race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.

For Home Seekers: You have the right to expect that housing will be available to you without discrimination or other limitations based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin

This includes the right to expect:

• Housing in your price range made available to you without discrimination
• Equal professional service
• The opportunity to consider a broad range of housing choices
• No discriminatory limitations on communities or locations of housing
• No discrimination in the financing, appraising, or insuring of housing
• Reasonable accommodations in rules, practices and procedures for persons with disabilities
• Non-discriminatory terms and conditions for the sale, rental, financing, or insuring of a dwelling
• To be free from harassment or intimidation for exercising your fair housing rights.

For Agents: As agents in the real estate transaction, we are prohibited by law from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. We will not and cannot legally fulfill any request from the home seller to act in a discriminatory manner in the sale.

The REALTOR® Fair Housing Program

The National Association of REALTORS® has developed a Fair Housing Program to provide resources and guidance to REALTORS® in ensuring equal professional services for all people. The term REALTOR® identifies a licensed professional in real estate who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS®. Not all licensed real estate brokers and salespersons are members of the National Association, and only those who are may identify themselves as REALTORS®. All TripleCord agents are REALTORS®.  As such, we conduct our business and activities in accordance with a strict Code of Ethics.

The Code of Ethics: Article 10 of the National Association of REALTORS® Code of Ethics provides that, "REALTORS® shall not deny equal professional services to any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. REALTORS® shall not be parties to any plan or agreement to discriminate against a person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. REALTORS®, in their real estate employment practices, shall not discriminate against any person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity."

As REALTORS®, we at TripleCord, pledge to conduct business in keeping with the spirit and letter of the Code of Ethics. Article 10 is a firm statement of support for equal opportunity in housing and prohibits us from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity in the provision of professional services and in employment practices. Additionally, the NAR Board approved a new Standard of Practice under the Article, 10-5, that states, “REALTORS® must not use harassing speech, hate speech, epithets, or slurs” against members of those protected classes.

If You Suspect Discrimination

If you suspect discrimination with one of TripleCord’s agent, please contact our Broker, Katie Miller, immediately.  We have a no tolerance policy for discriminatory behavior.  Your claim will be taken seriously and will be investigated promptly.  

If you suspect discrimination with an agent outside our office, you may contact the agent’s broker or Boise Regional REALTORS®.  BRR will accept complaints alleging violations of the Code of Ethics filed by a home seeker who alleges discriminatory treatment in the availability, purchase or rental of housing. BRR also has a responsibility to enforce the Code of Ethics through professional standards procedures and corrective action in cases where a violation of the Code of Ethics is proven to have occurred.

You can also call the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Complaints alleging discrimination in housing may be filed with the nearest office of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or by contacting them at http://www.hud.gov.