Housing Discrimination

FAQ

What is housing discrimination?

Housing discrimination occurs when landlords, real estate companies, local governments, banks or other lending institutions, or homeowners' or renters' insurance companies make housing unavailable to people, or treat tenants or purchasers differently, because of characteristics of those tenants or purchasers.

Throughout the United States, it is illegal to discriminate in housing due to a person's:

• race or color
• religion
• gender
• national origin (the country where they were born)
• physical or mental disability
• familial status (having children)

In the District of Columbia, it is also illegal to discriminate in housing due, among other things, to a person's:

• source of income (using a housing voucher or some other type of government financial assistance to help cover housing expenses)
• sexual orientation or gender identity or expression
• marital status
• status as a victim of intrafamily offense (domestic violence survivor)
• matriculation (student status)
• political affiliation.

What are some examples of housing discrimination?

Examples of housing discrimination are when:

• a landlord refuses to rent to an African-American couple because they are African-American
• a real estate company refuses to sell a house to a Latino person because she is from El Salvador
• a landlord says that she doesn't accept Section 8 or housing choice vouchers or says she won't rent an apartment to someone because he has a housing voucher
• a landlord harasses a tenant because of her gender or her national origin
• a town or city makes it difficult for an organization running a group home for individuals with physical or mental disabilities to open
• a company refuses to sell insurance to group homes for people with physical or mental disabilities, or charges them more money than other group homes
• a company builds new apartment complexes or condominium buildings with units or common areas that are not accessible for people with physical disabilities

Does housing discrimination include lending discrimination?

Yes, housing discrimination also includes banks or lending institutions that refuse to give a loan or a mortgage to an applicant -- or provide a loan or a mortgage with harsh, unfair terms and interest rates -- because of that applicant's characteristics, including race or color, national origin, gender, religion, familial status, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation.

How do I know if I have been discriminated against?

Sometimes it's hard to know if you've been discriminated against with regards to your housing choices. Landlords or real estate companies may try to hide what they are doing by giving you false information about whether an apartment is available or by telling you about homes for sale in some neighborhoods but not in others. If you think you have been discriminated against in housing, you should contact the Fair Housing Project at the Washington Lawyers' Committee.

What are my rights if I've been the victim of housing discrimination?

If you've been discriminated against in housing, you have the right to file a lawsuit in court or file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or the D.C. Office of Human Rights. If you decide to file a complaint, you can ask for money to make up for the discrimination that you suffered and to punish the people who discriminated against you. You can also ask that the people who discriminated against you be required to go to civil rights training and promise not to discriminate against anyone else.

What is the Washington Lawyers' Committee?

The Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights & Urban Affairs is a non-profit organization that provides free legal services to individuals and organizations in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia who have been discriminated against in the areas of housing, employment, and places of public accommodation like stores, restaurants, taxicabs, and hotels.

What is the Fair Housing Project and what does it do?  

The Fair Housing Project at the Washington Lawyers' Committee is staffed by three attorneys and a paralegal. The Project works on cases on behalf of individuals and organizations in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia who have been discriminated against in the areas of housing, lending, and insurance.

How do I contact the Washington Lawyers' Committee?

If you think you have been discriminated against, you can call the Washington Lawyers' Committee at (202) 319-1000 or go to its website at http://www.washlaw.org.