Quid Pro Quo and Hostile Environment Harassment and Liability for Discriminatory Housing Practices Under the Fair Housing Act

Through this rule, HUD proposes to amend its fair housing regulations to formalize standards for use in investigations and adjudications involving alleged harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status or disability under the Fair Housing Act. The proposed standards would specify how HUD would evaluate complaints of quid pro quo (``this for that'') harassment and hostile environment harassment and provide for uniform treatment of Fair Housing Act claims raising such allegations in the federal courts. This proposed rule defines ``quid pro quo'' and ``hostile environment harassment,'' as prohibited under the Fair Housing Act, and adds illustrations of discriminatory housing practices that constitute such harassment. In addition, the proposed rule clarifies the operation of traditional principles of direct and vicarious liability under the Fair Housing Act.