Mercer Times

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced today that the Division on Civil Rights (DCR) and Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA) have launched several new public education resources as part of Attorney General Platkin's Home Appraisal Discrimination Initiative. These new resources include additional materials to educate the public on appraisal discrimination, which will be disseminated to first-time homebuyers as part of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency's (NJHMFA) programs, as well as new trainings and events to educate the public on appraisal discrimination.

The Home Appraisal Discrimination Initiative was launched by Attorney General Platkin in January 2024 to address persistent systemic inequities in real estate appraisals. Developed by DCR in partnership with DCA, the Initiative is the first comprehensive state-level initiative of its kind in the country. It follows the work of Governor Murphy's Wealth Disparity Task Force and builds on the work of the Biden Administration's Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal Valuation Equity.

"A home is one of the most important purchases a family can make, and we know that discrimination in how homes are valued hampers wealth creation and can damage neighborhoods and communities for generations," said Attorney General Platkin. "My office is committed to eradicating all forms of housing discrimination, and using every tool in our toolbox to accomplish it. Our message is clear: Appraisal discrimination is against the law, we won't tolerate it, and we will hold violators accountable."

As part of the Initiative, the Department of Law and Public Safety has made various resources available to the public:

"Know-your-rights guide on appraisal discrimination. The Department, DCR, and DCA have issued a know your rights guide for members of the public that explains what appraisal discrimination is, possible signs of appraisal discrimination, and how to report appraisal discrimination to DCR and DCA.

Educational Materials for Participants in NJHMFA's First-Time Homebuyer Program. The Department has partnered with DCA to distribute educational materials on home appraisal discrimination to all first-time homebuyers participating in NJHMFA's First-Time Homebuyer Mortgage Program. All participants in the program will receive the Department's one-page know-your-rights guide.

New Virtual Trainings on Home Appraisal Discrimination. DCR has launched a new virtual training on how to identify appraisal discrimination, titled 'Undervalued: The Impact of Home Appraisal Discrimination on New Jersey's Communities of Color.' Open to the public, the training explores the forms of bias that appear in residential property valuation practices, potential systemic issues of bias in appraisals, and the protections against discrimination afforded by the LAD. The first training was held on April 22 and was attended by over 190 people. The next training will be hosted on May 29 and will feature experts from the State Real Estate Appraiser Board, DCR, and the National Community Reinvestment Coalition.

Events on Home Appraisal Discrimination. Throughout Fair Housing Month, DCR hosted or presented at public events related to home appraisal discrimination, including at a meeting of the Newark NAACP, a DCR event on fair housing in New Jersey, a meeting of the Newark Community Development Network, and the New Jersey State Bar Association's Real Estate Conference. DCR and DCA will continue to host additional community events throughout the spring and summer."

"Discrimination in the home appraisal process doesn't just harm individual homeowners or home buyers; it can potentially harm entire communities. That discrimination is unlawful, and we are using every tool at our disposal to combat it," said Sundeep Iyer, Director of the Division on Civil Rights. "As we continue to ramp up our efforts to enforce the protections our laws provide against appraisal discrimination, we ask anyone who believes they have been the victim of appraisal discrimination to report their experience to our office and the Division of Consumer Affairs."

"As staunch defenders of fairness and equity in the marketplace, the Division is committed to eradicating unlawful business practices that deepen the longstanding financial inequities in our state," said Cari Fais, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. "By raising awareness of appraisal bias and enlisting the public's help in stopping it, we are working to ensure all New Jerseyans have equal access to the wealth-building potential of homeownership."

The actions announced today build on prior actions the Department has taken to address appraisal bias through its:

- Issuing guidance developed by DCR explaining how the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD) applies to discrimination in home appraisals.

- Creating a new Appraisal Equity Subcommittee within DCA's New Jersey State Real Estate Appraiser Board to reduce barriers to entering the appraisal profession and to diversify the profession.

- Launching an internal DCR Appraisal Discrimination Enforcement Task Force to enforce the LAD's prohibition on discrimination in home appraisals.

- Establishing a partnership under which DCR and the State Real Estate Appraiser Board will share complaints regarding appraisals.

Anyone who believes they or someone they know has experienced discrimination in connection with a home appraisal in New Jersey may contact DCR by email at . Anyone who believes that an appraiser has committed professional misconduct can contact DCA at 1 (800) 242-5846 within New Jersey or at (973) 504-6200, call the State Real Estate Appraiser Board directly at (973) 504-6480, or visit the DCA website at and file an online complaint.

The New Jersey Division on Civil Rights enforces the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, the New Jersey Family Leave Act, and the Fair Chance in Housing Act, and works to prevent, eliminate, and remedy discrimination and bias-based harassment in employment, housing, and places of public accommodation throughout New Jersey. To find out more information, go to .

The mission of the Division of Consumer Affairs is to protect the public from fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, and professional misconduct in the sale of goods and services in New Jersey through education, advocacy, regulation, and enforcement. The Division pursues its mission through its 51 professional and occupational boards that oversee 720,000 licensees in the state, its Regulated Business section that oversees 60,000 NJ registered businesses, as well as through its Office of Consumer Protection, Bureau of Securities, Charities Registration section, Office of Weights and Measures, and Legalized Games of Chance section. To find out more information, go to .