Anywhere is proud to announce its strong and enthusiastic support for the Fair and Equal Housing Act of 2023 (H.R. 4439). This bill amends the Fair Housing Act (FHA) under the Civil Rights Act of 1968 and expands those protected against discrimination in the sale, rental, or financing of housing. Anywhere has always supported the principles of the FHA – fair housing for all — which in its current form prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability. Amending the FHA would bring the law in line with the REALTORS® Code of Ethics of the National Association of Realtors and preclude discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The following 22 states, as well as the District of Columbia, already prohibit housing discrimination on the bases of sexual orientation and/or gender identity: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin. However, there is currently no federal law that explicitly protects LGBTQ+ people from housing discrimination.

Consistent with our vision as a global real estate services leader, we believe all prospective homeowners should have access to housing without discrimination. This aligns with Anywhere’s guiding principle of “opening doors” to homes for buyers regardless of where they come from, what they look like, how they worship or who they love. Anywhere fully supports the expansion of FHA legal protections as a matter of basic human dignity and as a good business practice.

Anywhere and its brands – Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, CENTURY 21®, Coldwell Banker®, Coldwell Banker Commercial®, Corcoran®, ERA®, Sotheby’s International Realty® – already actively promote, and are committed to, creating and fostering an environment of diversity throughout their respective organizations/franchise systems, and view diversity as a critical component to the on-going success of their business operations. Each Anywhere owned and franchised office agrees to comply with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to the real estate industry, including without limitation, the requirements imposed by the Fair Housing Act.

Anywhere began a journey more than 10 years ago to focus on external diversity marketplace efforts by forming partnerships with professional real estate associations whose ongoing missions are to improve the homeownership rates of various diverse groups including the LGBTQ+ community. Anywhere and its brands are partners of the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance, dedicated to empowering the LGBTQ+ community on their path towards and enjoyment of homeownership.

Our employees and brand-affiliated representatives are prominent at diversity-focused industry conferences each year, where our executives, brokers and affiliated sales agents have frequently served as chairpersons, hosts, speakers, panelist and/or moderators.

Anywhere strives to be a leader in all aspects of the real estate industry through active engagement and advocacy. As the first major player in the real estate industry to support H.R. 4439, Anywhere is demonstrating such leadership, one of its core values. Anywhere encourages other participants in the real estate industry around the nation to choose to do the same, both as a matter of fairness and good business practices.