Section 3631 of Title 42 makes it unlawful for an individual
to use force or threaten to use force to injure, intimidate, or
interfere with, or attempt to injure, intimidate, or interfere
with, any person's housing rights because of that person's race,
color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin.
Among those housing rights enumerated in the statute are:
- The sale, purchase, or renting of a dwelling
- The occupation of dwelling
- The financing of a dwelling
- Contracting or negotiating for any of the rights
enumerated above
- Applying for or participating in any service,
organizations, or facility relating to the sale or
rental of dwellings.
This statute also makes it unlawful to use force or threaten
to use force to injure, intimidate, or interfere with any person
who is assisting an individual or class of persons in the exercise
of their housing rights.
The offense is punishable by a range of imprisonment up to a
life term, depending upon the circumstances of the crime, and the
resulting injury, if any.
Whoever, whether or not acting under color of
law, by force or threat of force willfully
injures, intimidates or interferes with, or
attempts to injure, intimidate or interfere
with--
(a) any person because of his race, color,
religion, sex, handicap (as such term is
defined in section 3602 of this title),
familial status (as such term is defined in
section 3602 of this title), or national
origin and because he is or has been selling,
purchasing, renting, financing, occupying, or
contracting or negotiating for the sale,
purchase, rental, financing or occupation of
any dwelling, or applying for or participating
in any service, organization, or facility
relating to the business of selling or renting
dwellings; or
(b) any person because he is or has been, or
in order to intimidate such person or any
other person or any class of persons from--
(1) participating, without discrimination
on account of race, color, religion, sex,
handicap (as such term is defined in section
3602 of this title), familial status (as such
term is defined in section 3602 of this
title), or national origin, in any of the
activities, services, organizations or
facilities described in subsection (a) of this
section; or
(2) affording another person or class of
persons opportunity or protection so to
participate; or
(c) any citizen because he is or has been,
or in order to discourage such citizen or any
other citizen from lawfully aiding or
encouraging other persons to participate,
without discrimination on account of race,
color, religion, sex, handicap (as such term
is defined in section 3602 of this title),
familial status (as such term is defined in
section 3602 of this title), or national
origin, in any of the activities, services,
organizations or facilities described in
subsection (a) of this section, or
participating lawfully in speech or peaceful
assembly opposing any denial of the
opportunity to so participate--
shall be fined under Title 18 or imprisoned
not more than one year, or both; and if
bodily injury results from the acts committed
in violation of this section or if such acts
include the use, attempted use, or threatened
use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire
shall be fined under Title 18 or imprisoned
not more than ten years, or both; and if
death results from the acts committed in
violation of this section or if such acts
include kidnaping or an attempt to kidnap,
aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to
commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt
to kill, shall be fined under Title 18
imprisoned for any term of years or for life,
or both.
