Search      Tips on Searching Find Legal Help On Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Related Resources Fair Housing–Making New Apartments Accessible to Persons with Disabilities By: Iowa Legal Aid What Is Discrimination in Housing? By: Iowa Legal Aid What Should a Person Who Has Been Discriminated Against in Housing Do? By: Iowa Legal Aid more...

1.  Which of these things can a landlord lawfully do?
a.)  Refuse to rent to someone who looks like they might be Arab.
b.)  Charge a higher deposit to renters if they have small children.
c.)  Refuse to rent to someone who has bad references from past landlords.

The answer is c.  Federal and state fair housing laws protect people from discrimination in housing, if the discrimination is based on: race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability or familial status (presence of children).  In the first example, denying an apartment to someone because the person might be an Arab, the landlord’s behavior would violate the law.  It is not clear whether the landlord is thinking of Arabs in terms of “race,”  “national origin,” or  “religion.”  In any case, the landlord’s behavior would violate fair housing laws.  In the second example, families with children would have to pay more than families with all adults.  That discriminates against them based on “familial status.”  In the last example, the landlord is making a decision based on whether the people would be good tenants based on their actual past behavior, not on whether they belong to a particular group.  That is what landlords are supposed to do.  However, a landlord could still violate the law if she insisted on better references for some applicants because of their race or other protected characteristic. 

2.  A landlord gives an eviction notice to a Latino family because they frequently paid their rent late.  Other tenants who frequently paid rent late do not receive eviction notices.  Which of the following is true?

a.)  The landlord can evict the family without violating fair housing laws.  It doesn’t matter what other tenants do.
b.)  If other tenants also paid their rent late, but those tenants do not receive notices, it raises a suspicion of discrimination based on race or national origin.  

The answer is b.  Discrimination can take the form of different standards for eviction.   

3.  Which of these things can a victim of housing discrimination do?

a.)  File a complaint with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission within 180 days of the time the discrimination took place.
b.)  File a complaint with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) within one year of the time the discrimination took place.
c.)  File a lawsuit in court within two years of the time the discrimination took place.

The answer is all three.  A victim of discrimination can do any or all of these things.  Fair housing violations can also be used as defenses in eviction hearings. 

Iowa Legal Aid is working with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission this year on a special project.  The project is designed to tell people about fair housing laws.  In particular, the project is designed to help immigrants understand their rights under fair housing laws.  For more information, contact Jan Rutledge at Iowa Legal Aid's Iowa City Office (1-800-272-0008).  If you have questions about fair housing, or need legal help, call your local Iowa Legal Aid office.  To find out which office serves your area, call 1-800-532-1275. 

(This project is a FY 2002 FHIP Super NOFA Grant - Education and Outreach Initiative/General Component by US Department of Housing and Urban Development)