Passed 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.