Title 34NavyRelease 119-73

§12494 Prohibition on retaliation

Title 34 › Subtitle Subtitle I— - Comprehensive Acts › Chapter CHAPTER 121— - VIOLENT CRIME CONTROL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN › Part Part L— - Addressing the Housing Needs of Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking › Subpart subpart 2— - housing rights › § 12494

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Public housing agencies and owners or managers of housing that get help from a covered housing program must not punish, treat unfairly, or threaten anyone for opposing illegal housing practices, or for testifying, helping, or taking part in related matters. They also may not coerce, intimidate, interfere with, or retaliate against anyone who uses or helps others use the rights in this subpart — for example, threatening someone who is helping a tenant or punishing someone for joining an investigation. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Attorney General must enforce these protections and provide the same rights and remedies found in title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.).

Full Legal Text

Title 34, §12494

Navy — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)No public housing agency or owner or manager of housing assisted under a covered housing program shall discriminate against any person because that person has opposed any act or practice made unlawful by this part, or because that person testified, assisted, or participated in any matter related to this subpart.
(b)No public housing agency or owner or manager of housing assisted under a covered housing program shall coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with, or retaliate against, any person in the exercise or enjoyment of, on account of the person having exercised or enjoyed, or on account of the person having aided or encouraged any other person in the exercise or enjoyment of, any rights or protections under this subpart, including—
(1)intimidating or threatening any person because that person is assisting or encouraging a person entitled to claim the rights or protections under this subpart; and
(2)retaliating against any person because that person has participated in any investigation or action to enforce this subpart.
(c)The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Attorney General shall implement and enforce this subpart consistent with, and in a manner that provides, the rights and remedies provided for in title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.).

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Civil Rights Act of 1968, referred to in subsec. (c), is Pub. L. 90–284, Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 73. Title VIII of the Act, known as the Fair Housing Act, is classified principally to subchapter I (§ 3601 et seq.) of chapter 45 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 3601 of Title 42 and Tables. Codification Pub. L. 117–103, div. W, title VI, § 602, which directed the addition of this section to chapter 2 of subtitle N of title IV of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (34 U.S.C. 12491 et seq.), was executed by adding this section to chapter 2 of subtitle N of title IV of the Violent Crime Control and Law

Enforcement

Act of 1994 to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section not effective until Oct. 1 of the first fiscal year beginning after Mar. 15, 2022, see section 4(a) of div. W of Pub. L. 117–103, set out as a note under section 6851 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

34 U.S.C. § 12494

Title 34Navy

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73