HUD HCV Guidebook § 7.1
PHA Actions to Prevent Discrimination (HUD HCV Guidebook)
Operative Text
As described throughout this chapter, various statutes, regulations and other authorities prohibit discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, disability, age, or status as a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking. All PHA employees need to be aware of their responsibilities under civil rights and fair housing laws. The PHA is responsible for promoting an internal culture that makes it clear that discriminatory practices, including sexual harassment, will not be tolerated at any level by staff or residents. For example, comments that stereotype an applicant or occupant based on ethnic background, that mimic an accent, or that jokingly discuss a client’s perceived mental state are discriminatory. Though these are just a few examples, discriminatory statements of any kind cannot be tolerated, and PHAs have an obligation to ensure they do not occur or go unaddressed, if they do occur. One way to promote ongoing awareness and competence is diversity and inclusion training for staff, providing them with opportunities to challenge stereotypes and confront biases -- including implicit biases -- in a training environment. Training on fair housing and civil rights laws more broadly is also important to promote compliance since all PHA staff are obligated to comply with Federal fair housing and civil rights laws. Staff and participants must be permitted to speak up if they observe harassing or other discriminatory conduct and be assured that they will be protected from retaliation for doing so. Beyond this, all policies, procedures, and practices must not discriminate because of any protected class. PHA employees must ensure that they apply program rules, services, and procedures in a consistent nondiscriminatory manner. PHAs must also consider the demographics of the people impacted – positively and negatively – by policies and practices to ensure that none have an unjustified discriminatory effect. Any aggrieved person may file a fair housing claim against the PHA. PHAs must ensure that all applicants and tenants are aware that filing a complaint with HUD is their right, that they will not be subject to retaliation for doing so, and how they may obtain more information about filing a complaint, including how to access HUD’s complaint filing site linked below.153
HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 7.1 establishes that Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) are prohibited from discriminating against individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, disability, age, or survivor status related to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking. The provision requires PHAs to maintain a workplace and program culture that actively rejects discriminatory conduct, including sexual harassment, at every level. It also mandates that all policies, procedures, and practices be applied consistently and without unjustified discriminatory effect on any protected class, and that anyone who experiences discrimination has the right to file a fair housing complaint with HUD without fear of retaliation.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 7.1, PHAs and their staff are expected to implement diversity and inclusion training, establish clear anti-discrimination policies, and apply all program rules uniformly across applicants and participants. Compliant operators regularly review their policies and practices to assess whether they produce any unjustified disparate impact on protected classes, and they take prompt corrective action when discriminatory conduct is observed or reported. Staff are also expected to create an environment where both employees and program participants feel safe reporting harassment or discrimination without fear of retaliation.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 7.1 affirms that Housing Choice Voucher participants have the right to be free from discrimination based on protected characteristics, including race, disability, familial status, and survivor status, among others. If a tenant or applicant believes they have experienced discriminatory treatment by a PHA or its staff, they have the right to file a fair housing complaint directly with HUD, and the provision explicitly protects them from retaliation for doing so. Tenants who believe their rights under § 7.1 may have been violated can also seek information from tenant-rights organizations or HUD's complaint filing resources to better understand available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 26, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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