The month of April this year celebrated the 54th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, the landmark civil rights law signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on April 11, 1968, that made discrimination in housing transactions unlawful. At the federal level, the Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, and familial status.
In Maryland, all of the 7 federal protections listed above, plus some additional protections are covered under Fair Housing laws for the state. They include:
• Marital Status
• Race: the State of Maryland has expanded the definition of “race” to include traits associated with race including hair texture, afro hairstyles, and protective hairstyles (including braids, twists, and other hairstyles).
• Sexual Orientation
• Gender Identity; and,
• Source of Income: Any lawful source of money that is paid to or for the benefit of a renter or buyer of housing and includes grants, government assistance, alimony, child support, pensions, annuities, legal gifts, or investment earnings.
Under the Fair Housing Act, it is against the law to engage in the following based on one’s identification, or perceived identification as a member of a protected class:
▪ Refuse to rent or sell your housing
▪ Indicate that housing is unavailable when in fact it is available
▪ Show you apartments or homes in certain neighborhoods only
▪ Advertise housing to preferred groups of people only
▪ Refuse to provide you with information regarding mortgage loans, deny you a mortgage loan, or impose different terms and conditions on a mortgage loan
▪ Deny you property insurance
▪ Conduct property appraisals in a discriminatory manner
▪ Refuse to make certain modifications or accommodations for persons with mental or physical disability, including persons recovering from alcohol and substance abuse, and HIV/AIDS-related illnesses
▪ Fail to design and construct housing in an accessible manner
▪ Harass, coerce, intimidate, or interfere with anyone exercising or assisting someone else with their fair housing rights
Lauren Bunting is an Associate Broker with Keller Williams Realty of Delmarva in Ocean City, Maryland.
Lauren Bunting is a Broker with Keller Williams Realty of Delmarva in Ocean City, Maryland.
