What is the primary objective of the Fair Housing Act of 1968?

The primary objective of the Fair Housing Act of 1968 is to promote equal housing opportunity, ensuring that individuals and families have the right to buy or rent housing without facing discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability. This legislation was instrumental in addressing the pervasive discriminatory practices prevalent in the housing market at that time and aimed to dismantle systemic barriers that prevented certain groups from accessing housing.

By focusing on equal housing opportunity, the Act seeks to create a level playing field, fostering more inclusive communities and ensuring that everyone can benefit from the same housing choices, which is a foundational aspect of fair housing policy. This principle underpins many subsequent housing initiatives and laws, reinforcing the idea that access to housing is a fundamental right.

While ensuring affordable housing and enhancing market competitiveness are important aspects of housing policy, they are not the primary focus of the Fair Housing Act itself. The Act does not directly address employment discrimination, which falls more under the scope of other legislations aimed at protecting worker rights.