Passed in 1968, the Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of dwellings based on membership in certain protected classes.
Protected Classes Include:
- Race
- Color
- National Origin
- Religion
- Sex
- Familial Status
- Disability
Pennsylvania also adds:
- Age
- Ancestry
Local Ordinances can add additional protected classes.
Discrimination Includes:
- Refusal to rent or sell housing
- Refusal to negotiate for housing
- Making housing unavailable
- Denying a dwelling
- Setting different terms, conditions, or privileges for sale or rental of a dwelling
- Providing different housing services or facilities
- Falsely denying that housing is available for inspection, sale, or rental
- For profit, persuading owners to sell or rent (blockbusting) or
- Denying anyone access to or membership in a facility or service (such as a multiple listing service) related to the sale or rental of housing
It is also illegal to…
- Threaten, coerce, intimidate, or interfere with anyone exercising a fair housing right or assisting others who exercise that right.
- Advertise or make any statement that indicates a limitation or preference based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability. This prohibition against discriminatory advertising applies to single-family and owner-occupied housing that is otherwise exempt from the Fair Housing Act.
If you have a disability, your landlord may not…
- Refuse to let you make reasonable modifications to your dwelling or common use areas, at your expense, if necessary for a person with a disability to use the housing. (Where reasonable, the landlord may permit changes only if you agree to restore the property to its original condition when you move.)
- Refuse to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices or services if necessary for a person with a disability to use and enjoy the housing.