FAIR HOUSING & DIVERSITY

Equal Opportunity For All

Fair housing laws are a cornerstone of community, here in the Northern Rhode Island real estate industry and throughout the country. As REALTORS® it is our commitment to uphold fair housing laws and offer equal professional service to all in their search of real property.  Members can access numerous Fair Housing resources from the Association here. 

There are federally protected classes and state-specific protected classes nationwide.  On a Federal level, you cannot discriminate against individuals on the basis of:

• Race
• Color
• National Origin
• Religion
• Sex
• Familial Status
• Disability

Rhode Island has 5 additional protected classes, which include:
– Gender Identity / Expression
– Marital Status
– Military Status
– Sexual Orientation
– Status as a Victim of Domestic Abuse
– Age
– Country of Ancestral Origin
– Housing Status
– Lawful Source of Income

If you are a consumer and you believe your rights to fair housing have been violated, you:

1.  May file a complaint with US Department of Housing and Urban Development (or HUD).  Cases will then be assigned to the Rhode Island office.

2.  Contact the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights. You have up to one (1) year to file from the date of the incident but in any event, contact the RICHR as soon as possible so they may investigate the charge.

3.  Contact the agent’s broker. If you have a complaint about an agent, contact that agent’s Broker to help you with your problem.  Or the Broker can refer you to their local Board of REALTORS®, where you may file a complaint.

4.  File an Ethics complaint with a local Board of REALTORS®.  In Rhode Island we have 5 local Boards.  The complaint would be filed with the local Board that the agent in question is a member of.  A listing of NRIBR members can be found here.

National Multicultural Real Estate Organizations

Use the directory (link) to reach out to the local chapters or boards of the four national multicultural real estate organizations.

 

New DEI Scholarship coming in 2025

Beginning 1/1/25, the Northern Rhode Island Board of REALTORS® will be offering a one (1) new Diversity REALTOR® Scholarship through 10/15/2025 to assist an under-represented individual in the Northern Rhode Island Community begin a career in real estate.  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis or until funding expires.  Applicants must be residents of Rhode Island, must provide evidence of a high school or GED diploma, 2 written letters of recommendation, and complete the application in its entirety, including an essay. Click here to access the 2025 DEI Scholarship application.  

Fair Housing course as a membership requirement coming 1/1/25

Members of the National Association of REALTORS® will be required to complete Fair Housing / Anti-Bias Training upon becoming a member, and every 3 years thereafter, coinciding with the Code of Ethics training timeline.  NEW members will have to complete the training within a certain amount of days upon joining. 

This requirement will be in addition to the Code of Ethics training. Qualified training must be of not less than 2 hours of instructional time and must meet specific learning objectives and criteria established by the National Association of REALTORS®. This requirement will begin January 1, 2025 and established members will have a deadline of December 31, 2027. 

The policy is based on a recommendation created by a work group composed of members of the Fair Housing Committee, Professional Development Committee, Association Executives Committee, and Membership Policy and Board Jurisdiction Committee and approved by the NAR Board of Directors in May 2023.  More information will be shared with members in the coming months.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The Northern Rhode Island Board of REALTORS® is committed to celebrating and welcoming diversity in all facets of our organization and in everything we do.  Throughout our mission and strategic plan this is a priority for our Association.  Our members are individuals from every walk of life and background that contribute to the rich fabric of society.

Members of the Northern Rhode Island Board are REALTORS®.  REALTORS® are held to a strict Code of Ethics as a condition of membership.  They must treat all clients, members of the public, and each other equally, regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The REALTOR® commitment to diversity and equality is the strongest in real estate, going a step farther than the federal Fair Housing Act, which does not include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes against housing discrimination.

Members are asked to view this 50-minute video prepared by the National Association of REALTORS® and the Perception Institute to help REALTORS® recognize unconscious biases that arise in our day-to-day lives:

Members – login to Fairhaven here.  Fairhaven uses the power of storytelling to help you identify, prevent, and address discriminatory practices in real estate. Inspired by real stories, this innovative online experience has agents work against the clock to sell homes in the fictional town of Fairhaven, while confronting discrimination in the home buying process. Brokers are encouraged to incorporate Fairhaven into their office’s professional training for licensees.