Guide to Living Off Campus 

University of Hawaii
Guide to Living Off Campus
Updated July 2005

Know Your Rights
Fair Housing Act
Landlord tenant guidelines

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
Fair Housing Act
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing because of race or color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians; pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18), or handicap (disability).

This act covers most housing. In some circumstances, the Act exempts owner-occupied buildings with no more than four units, single-family housing sold or rented without the use of a broker, and housing operated by organizations and private clubs that limit occupancy to members.

If you have questions about Fair Housing or if you think that you have been discriminated against please contact the State Civil Rights Commission, a branch of the State Department of Labor and Industrial relations at 808-586-8636, their website can be viewed at http://hawaii.gov/labor/hcrc/index.shtml. You may register a complaint against a landlord who violated federal Fair Housing provisions with the Legal Aid Society of Hawai'i; on Oahu, call: 527-8024, Neighbor islands toll-free: 1-866-527-FAIR (1-866-527-3247). Complaints may also be filed through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or http://www.hud.gov/complaints/housediscrim.cfm.

Landlord Tenant Code
The Handbook for the Hawaii Residential Landlord-Tenant Code is published by the Office of Consumer Protection and the Communications Office of the State Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. It is designed to be a useful guide for all Hawaii residents and attempts to address the questions and concerns most frequently expressed by landlords and tenants. It covers almost all aspects of renting, from rental agreements, security deposits, prohibited practices, landlord obligations and termination of tenancy.

The Hawaii Residential Landlord-Tenant Code is the name of Chapter 521 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS). The section numbers that are cited throughout the handbook refer to the sections of Chapter 521. Since its creation in 1973, the Hawaii Residential Landlord-Tenant Code has been amended in almost every legislative session. The public libraries have complete copies of this book, and online versions can be found through the State of Hawaii website.

If you have questions on a landlord-tenant matter, contact the Office of Consumer Protection: http://www.hawaii.gov/dcca/areas/ocp/landloard_tenant/ or call 808-586-2634.

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