Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

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Summary:
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs and activities conducted by HUD or that receive financial assistance from HUD.

Purpose:
In addition to its responsibility for enforcing other Federal statutes prohibiting discrimination in housing, HUD has a statutory responsibility under Section 504 to ensure that individuals are not subjected to discrimination on the basis of disability by any program or activity receiving HUD assistance. Section 504 charges HUD with enforcing the right of individuals to live in federally subsidized housing free from discrimination on the basis of disability. Further, Section 504 covers employment discrimination based on disability and requires HUD and HUD-assisted agencies to make reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental limitations of an employee or qualified applicant. It covers all HUD programs except for its mortgage insurance and loan guarantee programs.

Type of Assistance:
Section 504 provides for HUD’s investigation and remediation of housing discrimination in HUD-provided programs and activities.

Eligible Grantees:
Not applicable.

Eligible Customers:
Any person with a disability who feels himself or herself a victim of discrimination in a HUD-funded program or activity may file a complaint with HUD under Section 504. During fiscal year (FY) 1996, HUD received 395 complaints, of which 229 were resolved. (These figures reflect combined complaints under Section 504 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.)

Application:
Individuals may send complaints to a HUD Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) in any of the 10 Fair Housing Enforcement Office hubs or to any of the 8 Fair Housing Enforcement Office Processing Centers or to the FHEO at HUD Headquarters.

Technical Guidance:
Section 504 activities are authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Field Offices and Headquarters FHEO staff provide Section 504 technical assistance to recipients of HUD financial assistance and to consumers of HUD services. Program regulations--"Nondiscrimination Based on Handicap in Federally Assisted Programs and Activities and Federally Conducted Programs of the Department of Housing and Urban Development"--are at 24 CFR Parts 8 and 9. These activities are administered by HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. Contact Cheryl Kent at (202) 708-2333 or (202) 708-1734 (TTY).

For More Information:

Government resources:
-- The Fair Housing Information Clearinghouse, at 1-800-343-3442 or 1-800-290-1617 (TTY), supplies national and local information and links to fair housing resources inside and outside of Government.
-- HUD Fair Housing Web Page provides information about the programs of the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.

Other resources:
-- John Marshall Law School’s Fair Housing Legal Support Center provides public education on fair housing law and legal assistance to public and private organizations combating housing discrimination.