Board Order on Fair Housing Advertising
and Poster Requirements
Effective March 20,
1989
6-1500
1. NONDISCRIMINATORY ADVERTISING
(a) A state member bank that directly or through third
parties engages in any form of advertising of any loan for the purpose
of purchasing, constructing, improving, repairing, or maintaining
a dwelling (as defined in section 3 of this order) or any loan secured
by a dwelling shall prominently indicate in such advertisement, in
a manner appropriate to the advertising medium and format utilized,
that the bank makes such loans without regard to race, color, religion,
sex, or national origin, handicap, or familial status (having children
under the age of 18).
(1) With respect to a written or visual
advertisement, this requirement may be satisfied by including in the
advertisement a facsimile of the logotype with the equal housing lender
legend contained in the Equal Housing Lender Poster prescribed in
section 2 of this order.
(2) With respect to an oral advertisement, this requirement may be
satisfied by a statement, in the spoken text of the advertisement,
that the bank is an “equal housing lender.”
(3) When an oral advertisement is used
in conjunction with a written or visual advertisement, the use of
either of the methods specified in subparagraphs (1) and (2) will
satisfy the requirements of this paragraph (a).
(b) No advertisement shall contain any words,
symbols, models, or other forms of communication that express, imply,
or suggest a discriminatory preference or policy of exclusion in violation
of the provisions of the Fair Housing Act or the Equal Credit Opportunity
Act.
6-1501
2. EQUAL HOUSING LENDER POSTER
(a) A state member bank that
engages in extending any loan for the purpose of purchasing, constructing,
improving, repairing, or maintaining a dwelling (as defined in section
3 of this order) or any loan secured by a dwelling shall conspicuously
display an equal housing lender poster in any public lobby and area
within the bank where deposits are received or where such loans are
made in a manner clearly visible to the general public entering such
areas.
(b) The equal housing lender poster shall
be at least 11 by 14 inches in size and shall have the following text:
We Do Business in Accordance with Federal Fair Lending Laws
UNDER THE FEDERAL FAIR HOUSING ACT, IT IS ILLEGAL, ON
THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, RELIGION, SEX, HANDICAP
OR FAMILIAL STATUS (HAVING CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18), TO:
Deny a loan for the purpose of purchasing, constructing,
improving, repairing or maintaining a dwelling, or deny any loan secured
by a dwelling; or
Discriminate in fixing the amount, interest rate,
duration, application procedures or other terms or conditions of such
a loan, or in appraising property.
IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST,
YOU SHOULD SEND A COMPLAINT TO:
Assistant Secretary
for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Department of Housing and
Urban Development, Washington, D.C. 20410
For
processing under the Federal Fair Housing Act and to:
Federal Reserve Consumer Help, P.O. Box 1200, Minneapolis,
MN 55480
For processing under Federal Reserve regulations
UNDER THE EQUAL CREDIT
OPPORTUNITY ACT, IT IS ILLEGAL TO DISCRIMINATE IN ANY CREDIT TRANSACTION:
On the basis of race, color, religion, national origin,
sex, or marital status, or age,
Because income is from public assistance, or
Because a right was exercised under the Consumer Credit
Protection Act.
IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST,
YOU MAY SEND A COMPLAINT TO:
Federal Reserve Consumer
Help, P.O. Box 1200, Minneapolis, MN 55480
3. DEFINITION OF DWELLING
“Dwelling” means any building,
structure (including a mobile home), or portion thereof that is occupied
as, or designed or intended for occupancy as, a residence by one or
more natural persons and any vacant land that is offered for sale
or lease for the construction or location thereon of any such building,
structure, or portion thereof.
