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Fair housing laws prohibit housing discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, disability, national origin, and family or marital status. Landlords and apartment agents are prohibited from refusing to rent on any of these discriminatory grounds. However, discrimination is not always this obvious. A rule that appears to be neutral, but affects a protected group more harshly than others and holds no legitimate business reason may also violate fair housing laws.
Examples of discriminatory conduct include:
- Landlords or agents who discourage people from renting or make housing unavailable to those in a protected group
- Landlords or agents who fail to inform applicants of a protected class of privileges, facilities, services, or rent reductions.
- Landlords or agents who apply different terms and conditions to members of a protected group, whether in lease terms or the application process
- Landlords or agents who try to keep tenants of a protected class in one area or building of a complex
- Claiming that a rental property is not available when it is
- Discriminatory advertising
- If you feel you have been discriminated against in violation of fair housing laws, Brinson-Askew can help you vindicate your rights.
Our attorneys also have significant experience defending against fair housing discrimination lawsuits as well. We represent landlords, property management companies, Home Owners Associations, and others who have been accused of violating fair housing laws. Discrimination cases are taken very seriously in federal court, so we work quickly to unearth evidence that our clients’ practices were consistent with federal requirements. In these cases, proactively evaluating your housing practices and educating employees to avoid future disputes is crucial. BABSR&D can help you develop a solid legal plan that avoids unintentional discrimination and build a strong defense should a claim arise.
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