FHA
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Federal Housing Administration |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Business & Finance, Government & Politics |
FHA has two meanings. It stands for Federal Housing Administration (real estate & mortgage) or Fair Housing Act (US law).
Meanings of FHA at a glance
| # | FHA stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal Housing Administration | Business & Finance › Real Estate & Mortgage |
| 2 | Fair Housing Act | Government & Politics › US Law |
1. Federal Housing Administration
Business & Finance · Real Estate & Mortgage Abbreviations · also used in government
US government agency, part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, that insures mortgages made by private lenders, allowing borrowers with lower credit scores or small down payments to qualify. FHA loans require as little as 3.5% down with a credit score of 580 or higher.
Example: With only $12,000 saved, an FHA loan was the only way we could buy our first house.
Created by the National Housing Act of 1934 to revive housing during the Great Depression, and part of HUD since 1965. Borrowers pay an upfront and annual mortgage insurance premium (MIP) instead of private mortgage insurance. FHA loans are popular with first-time buyers but have loan limits by county and stricter property condition standards than conventional loans.
2. Fair Housing Act
Government & Politics · US Law Abbreviations
Federal law banning discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or familial status. It covers landlords, real estate agents, lenders and insurers, and complaints can be filed with HUD.
Example: The landlord violated the FHA by refusing to rent to a family with young children.
It was enacted as Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, signed on April 11, 1968, a week after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Sex was added in 1974, and disability and familial status in 1988. In mortgage lending, FHA more often means the Federal Housing Administration, so context matters.
Related abbreviations
More real estate & mortgage abbreviations
- EIK – Eat-in kitchen
- EMD – Earnest money deposit
- FAR – Floor area ratio
- FF&E – Furniture, fixtures and equipment
- FHLMC – Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
- FNMA – Federal National Mortgage Association
- FP – Fireplace
- FR – Family room
See all 95 real estate & mortgage abbreviations →
More US law abbreviations
- FECA – Federal Election Campaign Act
- Fed. Reg. – Federal Register
- FERPA – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
- FFCRA – Families First Coronavirus Response Act
- FISA – Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
- FLSA – Fair Labor Standards Act
- FMLA – Family and Medical Leave Act
- FOIA – Freedom of Information Act