black and white sunrisePassed 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 (Families with children)
  • Disability

Ohio law also prohibits housing discrimination based upon:

  • Military Status
  • Ancestry

Housing discrimination based upon sexual preference or gender identity is prohibited in federally funded housing and in a growing number of cities across Ohio.

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 handicap.

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 the housing.

What can I do if I believe my landlord has discriminated against me?

  • If you think your rights to fair housing have been violated, help is available. Housing discrimination complaints can be filed by phone, online, or in writing with HUD and/or the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. To reach the local HUD office in your area, call 1-800-669-9777, TDD 1-800-927-9275 or visit HUD.gov. To reach the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, call 1-888-278-7101 or visit crc.ohio.gov.
  • You have one year from the date of the alleged act of discrimination to file your complaint.