Fighting Rental Housing Discrimination FAQ

Questions:

• What types of housing discrimination are renters protected from?
• What kinds of subtle actions might be illegal discrimination by the landlord?
• How can a renter file a discrimination complaint?

Answer:

What types of housing discrimination are renters protected from?

The federal Fair Housing Act and Fair Housing Amendments Act (42 U.S. Code §§ 3601-3619, 3631) prohibit landlords from choosing tenants on the basis of a group characteristic such as:

• race
• religion
• ethnic background or national origin
• sex
• familial status, including having children or being pregnant (except in certain designated senior housing), or
• a mental or physical disability.

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.