In Alaska
, it is illegal for a landlord, broker, bank, and real estate agent to discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, and disability. In certain instances, discrimination based on marital status, pregnancy status, and age is also illegal under Alaska law. Since 1968, the Fair Housing Act has protected homeowners and renters nationwide against all kinds of discrimination. Although it’s been several decades since it first passed, the Fair Housing Act is continually being updated to expand the scope of its protection to include more marginalized groups.
As helpful and important as the Fair Housing Act is, it’s only beneficial if you know your rights. Whether you’re a renter
or a homeowner
, the super app
Jerry
has put together this guide to the Alaska Fair Housing Act. Here, you’ll find all the information you need about who is protected under Alaska law and what you need to do to file a complaint. Does Alaska have a Fair Housing Act?
You bet! The state of Alaska is in full compliance with the Department of Housing and Urban Development
’s fair housing laws. So, in Alaska, the following actions are illegal based on race, color, religion, national origins, sex, familial status, or disability: Refusal to rent, sell, or negotiate for housing
Refusal to make certain changes to accommodate a disability
Falsely stating that a house or rental property is unavailable for rental or sale
Advertising that a sale or rental unit is only available to certain groups
Denying a loan or information about how to acquire a loan for a rental or purchase
Harassment of a tenant, including sexual harassment
Applying different conditions on a lease, mortgage, or loan
In addition to the general guidelines laid out in the Fair Housing Act, Chapter 80
of Alaska law also makes the above illegal based on someone's marital status (including change in marital status), pregnancy status, and age. Unless the housing community you’re looking for is specially designated for “singles only” or for “married couples only,” you can’t be denied because of your marital status. Accessibility requirements under the Fair Housing Act
To understand the accessibility requirements
under the Fair Housing Act, you first have to know which conditions qualify as disabilities in the state of Alaska: Diseases like cancer and HIV/AIDS
Developmental disabilities
Mobility and hearing impairments
All multi-family homes built for occupancy before March 13, 1991 must meet a couple of accessibility standards:
Wheelchair-friendly kitchens and bathrooms
Minimum of one accessible entrance
Reinforced walls throughout the space that can handle a grab bar
Lower light switches, outlets, and thermostat switches than can be reached from a wheelchair
Wheel-chair friendly doors
If your dwelling does not meet the standards listed above, it is your right to request that reasonable accommodations be made like installing a wheelchair ramp, widening the doorways, lowering the countertops, etc.
The 1991 Fair Housing Act
also addressed the possible need for reasonable accommodations. Though they sound the same, modifications refer to the physical structure of the home, while reasonable accommodations are about the housing provider's rules, policies, practices, or services. A good example is a tenant who needs a seeing-eye dog at an apartment complex that usually does not allow animals. How to file a Fair Housing complaint in Alaska
No landlord, broker, or real estate agent will flat out tell you that they’re discriminating against you or your family based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, or disability. But, if you’ve got a hunch that that’s the case, you should file a complaint with the FHEO.
There are a couple of ways you could go about this:
File a complaint through their online portal
Download and fill out this form
and email it to your local FHEO Field Office Director. For Alaska, email it to Chad Stovall (ak_manager@hug.gov
) at the Anchorage Field Office. If you’d rather send the form via mail, you can send it to the Anchorage Field Office at 3000 C Street, Suite 401, Anchorage, AK 99503
Call an FHEO intake specialist at 1-800-669-9777 or 1-800-877-8339
Call the Anchorage Field Office at 907-677-9800
The information you provide to the FHEO not only gives them a clearer picture of what’s going on, but allows them to get an idea of what you may be owed in damages, an estimate of court costs and attorney fees, and whether or not you should file an injunction or restraining order.
State agency vs. local offices
While reporting directly to the FHEO or the Anchorage Field Office is the most straightforward way to handle a housing discrimination complaint, there are a couple of other resources available in the state of Alaska that may be helpful depending on the city you’re in:
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Aleutian Pribilof Islands | |
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Prince William Sound Region | |
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Interior Regional Housing Authority
, and the Ketchikan Indian Community Housing Authority
also provide resources for indigenous and Native Alaskan communities throughout the state. How to save on home and renters insurance in Alaska
As we’ve laid out above, you have a legal right to fair housing in the state of Alaska. And while saving money on your home and renters insurance policies may not technically be written in the law, we still think it’s pretty important! That’s why Jerry
’s goal is to make finding a cheap deal accessible for everyone. By comparing competitive rates from dozens of providers, Jerry takes the hard work of finding a great deal on your insurance for you. It’s the number #1 rated insurance app for a reason! All you need to do is enter some basic information and let Jerry take care of the rest.
“A super easy app for great savings. I gave them my information and got quotes from Jerry
very quickly! Now I’m saving $108/month.” —Kiyoshi A.
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