Housing Discrimination

Housing discrimination is the act of disallowing a person or group the right to rent or purchase a residence because of their age, race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability or status. Housing discrimination can also occur when multi-dwelling residences choose to rent only to individuals within certain demographics. This practice is not only illegal, but it also prohibits diversity within our communities. The right to purchase a home is customarily based on objective criteria such as credit rating, income, job stability and so forth. When landlords or lenders determine if an individual is qualified by using subjective data such as the traits mentioned earlier, this may be considered housing discrimination. Federal laws prohibit housing discrimination, and landlords are required to provide potential renters with certain disclosures regarding their housing rights.