Fair Housing and Legal Compliance
Equal treatment, documented criteria, and the accommodation process
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability. Many states and cities add classes such as age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, source of income, military or veteran status, and criminal history. Know your local list - most fair housing misses happen when a leasing professional applies only the federal seven.
Prohibited conduct includes refusing to rent, quoting different terms or deposits, falsely stating a unit is unavailable, steering (directing prospects toward or away from areas based on a protected class), discriminatory advertising, harassment, and retaliation against someone who complains. A neutral rule applied to everyone is defensible; a rule applied only to some residents is not.
Distinguish reasonable accommodations (a change in rules, policies, or services for a person with a disability - an assigned parking space, a ground-floor transfer, an assistance animal in a no-pet community) from reasonable modifications (a physical change to the unit, typically at the resident's expense). Assistance animals are not pets: no pet rent or pet deposit, and do not demand medical details. Use the interactive process, respond promptly, and document.
Write and follow written screening criteria - income, credit, rental history, criminal screening - and apply them identically to every applicant, documenting the decision and retaining records for the required period. Nothing you say is off the record, including texts and social posts.
Traps: "adults only" or "no kids" language (familial status); "no vouchers" where source of income is protected; denying a wheelchair user's parking request because "we don't reserve spaces"; inconsistent late-fee enforcement.
Rule of thumb: same criteria, same questions, same answer for every applicant - and if a request might relate to a disability, treat it as an accommodation and engage. Example: a resident with a mobility impairment asks for a space near the elevator. Grant it promptly, at no extra charge, confirm in writing, and document the file.