What federal laws govern housing discrimination?

The Fair Housing Act, which is formally known as Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, is the predominant federal law concerning fair housing and housing discrimination.

Who is protected under the Fair Housing Act?

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on several bases. Do any of them apply to your situation?

What does "familial status" mean?

Familial status means, in simple terms, the makeup of your family unit. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of your type of family. Familial status, for this purpose, may include children under the age of eighteen who are living with their parents or legal custodians, pregnant women, and people who are seeking to secure custody of children under eighteen. For example, a landlord cannot refuse to rent an apartment to you if you tell them that you are pregnant and will soon be having a child unless he or she has another, legitimate reason for not wanting to rent the property to you.

What type of housing is covered by the Fair Housing Act?

The Fair Housing Act covers many different types of housing, including homes, apartments, and townhouses which are for sale or for rent. There may be some exceptions to coverage under the Act. For example, the owner of a small rental building, who also resides in the same building, may not have to follow the Act.