Housing, Race and Law: The British Experience

Equality of opportunity in housing is a key issue in social justice in Britain today. To the extent that it patterns an individual's educational, social and economic development, housing constitutes a crucial battleground in the fight against racial discrimination. Housing, Race and Law is the first publication to examine the law in relation to issues of housing and race in both the private and public sector. It places these issues in the broader context of the development of anti-discrimination legislation, outlines the current legislation and examines its impact in relation to owner occupation, public housing, housing association tenancies and private lets. Throughout, the book emphasizes the practical impact of the various legislative provisions, and discusses the responses of the principle institutions from government departments and relevant professions to the Commission for Racial Equality and the Community Relations Councils (or Racial Equality Councils). It argues a case for a new approach to appraisal, review and enforcement. By collating material from a wide variety of sources, the author provides an original assessment of the Race Relations Act of 1976 and its impact on housing which, in its provision of cogent material and arguments for reforms, is designed to be of value to practitioners, academics and those concerned with racial discrimination.