42 U.S.C. § 3631
Violations; penalties (THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE (42 U.S.C.))
Operative Text
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— any person because of his race, color, religion, sex, handicap (as such term is defined in ), familial status (as such term is defined in ), 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 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— participating, without discrimination on account of race, color, religion, sex, handicap (as such term is defined in ), familial status (as such term is defined in ), or national origin, in any of the activities, services, organizations or facilities described in subsection (a); or affording another person or class of persons opportunity or protection so to participate; or 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 ), familial status (as such term is defined in ), or national origin, in any of the activities, services, organizations or facilities described in subsection (a), or participating lawfully in speech or peaceful assembly opposing any denial of the opportunity to so participate—
Under 42 U.S.C. § 3631, federal law makes it a criminal offense to use force or the threat of force to injure, intimidate, or interfere with someone because of their race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin in connection with housing activities such as renting, buying, or occupying a dwelling. The prohibition extends beyond direct victims to cover anyone who helps others participate in housing activities without discrimination, as well as citizens who lawfully support or speak out in favor of equal housing access. This statute applies regardless of whether the person committing the act is a government official or a private individual.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under 42 U.S.C. § 3631 should be aware that this provision reaches beyond civil fair-housing rules into federal criminal law, meaning that any use of force or threats connected to a tenant's or applicant's protected characteristics can expose individuals to criminal prosecution. Compliant operators maintain clear, documented policies against harassment or intimidation of residents, applicants, or housing advocates, and they take prompt action when employees or agents engage in threatening conduct. Training staff to recognize that even implicit threats tied to a person's race, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin in a housing context can trigger federal criminal liability is a standard practice among responsible housing operators.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under 42 U.S.C. § 3631, tenants and housing applicants have federal criminal-law protections against anyone who uses force or threats to interfere with their right to rent, occupy, or negotiate for housing based on protected characteristics such as race, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. These protections also cover individuals who assist others in accessing housing without discrimination or who participate in peaceful assembly or speech supporting fair housing. Tenants who believe they have experienced such conduct can report it to the U.S. Department of Justice, contact HUD, or reach out to a local tenant-rights organization to learn about available enforcement paths.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.