Explaining the Law and Providing Self-Help Information for Low-Income Iowans
There are 46 resources
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Discrimination and Sexual Harassment
Common Legal Terms
(Separate Website)
An online glossary of legal terms from A to W
By: Iowa Judicial Branch
Denying Housing to Survivors of Domestic Violence May Violate Fair Housing Laws
It is hard enough for anyone to find decent affordable housing. Finding housing may be even harder for women who are survivors of domestic violence. Why would this be?
By: Iowa Legal Aid
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Fair Housing Laws Protect Immigrants
Information on fair housing laws and what tenants can do if a landlord discriminates against them.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
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Fair Housing Quiz
Test your knowledge of the law with a three-question quiz about fair housing issues.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Fair Housing–Making New Apartments Accessible to Persons with Disabilities
The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 made a lot of changes in fair housing law. One of the changes dealt with making apartments accessible. When does an apartment have to meet the fair housing accessibility requirements?
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Tenants Protected from Discrimination Based on Sex
Some tenants who have a disagreement with their landlord, or fall behind in the rent are threatened with eviction. Sometimes a landlord may ask for sex from a tenant in payment for rent or to stop an eviction. This is illegal.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
The Fair Housing Act and Iowa Civil Rights Act Protect the Housing Rights of Persons with a Mental D
Discrimination against a person with a mental disability is illegal. The federal Fair Housing Act and the Iowa Civil Rights Act require landlords to make exceptions, called “reasonable accommodations,” in rules, policies, practices or services.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
What Duty Does a Landlord Have to Accommodate a Tenant’s Disability?
Anyone may have a hard time finding a rental unit he or she can afford. There is not enough low- and moderate-income housing to meet the need. Persons with disabilities may have even fewer housing choices. Some rental units could become suitable with a few changes. The landlord’s rules or policies might need to change before the tenant could live there. What are a tenant’s rights in such cases?
By: Iowa Legal Aid
What Is Discrimination in Housing?
A landlord may consider a number of different things in choosing tenants or in deciding how to treat a particular tenant. Some of the things a landlord considers are legal and proper, while others are illegal, improper, and may not be considered.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
What Should a Person Who Has Been Discriminated Against in Housing Do?
Information on who to contact in housing discrimination cases.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
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Foreclosure Prevention
Common Legal Terms
(Separate Website)
An online glossary of legal terms from A to W
By: Iowa Judicial Branch
Facing Foreclosure? Tips to Help Restructure Debt and Deal with Mortgage Companies
When the foreclosure process starts or is just around the corner, homeowners must decide whether to stay in the home or move. This is not an easy choice to make.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Facts About Foreclosure
The following "factsheet" can be useful to help homeowners understand their rights when facing the loss of their home.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
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Mortgage Foreclosures and Land Contract Forfeitures
People are usually not able to pay in full when they buy a home. As a result, most Iowans finance homes through either a mortgage or a land contract. If the buyer fails to make payments the loan terms require, each of these financing tools allows the lender to retake the home. The steps involved depend on whether it is a mortgage or land contract.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Refinancing
A lot of people try to deal with debt by refinancing their loans. Refinancing means paying an old debt with a new debt. Sometimes that makes sense because your total cost of borrowing money may be less. Refinancing may look good now when interest rates are lower than they have been in years. However, smaller monthly payments do not always mean that refinancing will be a good deal for you as a consumer. This article takes a general look at this topic and gives some tips to protect yourself.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act
The "SCRA" is a federal statute passed by Congress to allow military members to suspend or postpone some civil obligations so the military member can devote his or her full attention to military duties.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
How Can a Rental Agreement Be Ended?
Either a landlord or a tenant can end an agreement in one of these five ways.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
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Move Out in Three Days? Are They Serious? The Meaning of Eviction Notices
What would you do if your landlord told you to move out in three days? Would you really have to pack up and be out in three days? What would happen if you were not out by then? This review of the eviction process focuses on the notices that are given to tenants, and what they really mean
By: Iowa Legal Aid
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Does Iowa's Landlord-Tenant Act Cover You and Your Landlord?
Iowa's landlord-tenant law, the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Law, applies to the usual situation where a person or household of people rent a house or apartment to live in. But a few situations are not covered by this law.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
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Rental Deposits
Disputes over deposits are a frequent problem between landlords and tenants. Tenants need to take steps to be sure landlords return deposits after they move out.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
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Housing: How My Landlord Learned to Make Repairs
Iowa law gives tenants clear and effective rights to take action when repairs are needed to keep the property safe and livable. The Iowa law provides at least four things a tenant may do when repairs are needed but the landlord fails to do what is required to make the repairs. This article will tell you the four methods.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
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How Can I Make Sure of Getting My Rental Deposit Back When I Move Out?
When a house or apartment is rented, a landlord usually collects a rental deposit, also called a security deposit, in advance to pay for any damage the tenants might do, to make up for unpaid rent, or to cover certain other expenses. Here are some tips for making sure you get your rental deposit back when you move out.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
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Tenants: Protect Yourself in Rental Agreements
Treat every landlord-tenant arrangement as if you will one day have to explain the whole situation to a judge. It is up to you to protect yourself by keeping detailed records of your tenancy. Here is an overview of what this means.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
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