Fair Housing

Federal, State and Local Fair Housing and Anti-discrimination Laws protect individuals from housing discrimination. It is unlawful to discriminate based on certain protected characteristics, which include, but are not limited to: race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military status, sex, age, disability, marital status, status as a victim of domestic violence, lawful source of income or familial status.

The following are some examples of potential fair housing violations:

• Refusing to rent, sell or show a property based on a potential tenant or purchaser’s protected characteristic.
• Quoting a higher price to a purchaser or renter because of the potential purchaser or tenant’s protected characteristic.
• Refusing to rent to a tenant who has children or increasing a security deposit based on the number of children who will be living in the apartment.
• Steering prospective tenants or purchasers to certain neighborhoods based on any protected characteristics.
• Refusing to rent to a potential tenant because of their source of income, including but not limited to, Section 8 vouchers or other government subsidies.
• Refusing to waive a “no pet” policy for tenants that require a service, assistance or emotional support animal.
• Discriminating at the direction of a seller or landlord or because it is the preference of a seller or landlord.
• Refusing to rent to a renter who is a victim of domestic violence.