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The federal Fair Housing Act and Fair Housing Amendments Act (42 U.S. Code ยงยง 3601-3619, 3631) prohibit landlords from choosing tenants on the basis of a group characteristic such as:
In addition, some state and local laws prohibit discrimination based on a person's marital status, age, or sexual orientation.
Landlords can always select tenants using criteria that are based on valid business reasons, such as requiring a minimum income or positive references from previous landlords, as long as these standards are applied equally to all tenants.
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Renters' & Tenants' Rights
