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10 Ways you can recognize Housing Discrimination

By
Real Estate Agent with Frankly Real Estate Inc.

Diverse community10 Ways you can recognize Housing Discrimination

 

I believe in the fair housing act. We live in an everchanging world of diverse communities and families. To me, people are people. Humans. Everyone should be treated equally and that’s how I operate my business. It’s a non negotiable part of my business plan and personal beliefs. I don’t ask that you substitute my opinions for your own, simply respect them and the law.

 

I thought it may help to share the rules and information with my readers. There are an incredible amount of resources available, here are just a few:

 

National Fair Hounsing  Alliance - www.nationalfairhousing.org

Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. - www.bni-maryland.org

Maryland Commission on Civil Rights - www.mccr.maryland.gov

Maryland Association of REALTORS® (The source of the information listed below) - www.mdrealtor.org/housingprograms/fairhousing.aspx

 

10 Ways you can recognize Housing Discrimination

 

Under the Fair Housing Act, it is against the law to engage in the following based on one’s identification, or perceived identification as a member of a protected class:

  1. Refuse to rent or sell you housing
  2. Indicate that housing is unavailable when in fact it is available
  3. Show you apartments or homes in certain neighborhoods only
  4. Advertise housing to preferred groups of people only
  5. Refuse to provide you with information regarding mortgage loans, deny you a mortgage loan, or impose different terms and conditions on a mortgage loan
  6. Deny you property insurance
  7. Conduct property appraisals in a discriminatory manner
  8. Refuse to make certain modifications or accommodations for persons with mental or physical disability, including persons recovering from alcohol and substance abuse, and HIV/AIDS-related illnesses
  9. Fail to design and construct housing in an accessible manner
  10. Harass, coerce, intimidate, or interfere with anyone exercising or assisting someone else with their fair housing rights

 

Protected Classes and Their Definitions

* (Applicable to Maryland jurisdictions, updated January 2015)

 

Federal:

Color:  Pertaining to a person’s skin color

 

Familial Status: Families in which one or more children under 18 live with: a parent; a person who has legal custody of the child or children; or the designee of the parent or legal custodian, with the parent or custodian's written permission.  Familial status protection also applies to pregnant women and anyone securing legal custody of a child under 18.

 

National Origin: Refers to country of birth.

 

Physical or Mental Disability:  In reference to you or someone close to you who: has a physical or mental disability (including hearing, mobility and visual impairments, chronic alcoholism, chronic mental illness, AIDS, AIDS-related Complex and mental retardation) that substantially limits one or more major life activities; has a record of such a disability; or is regarded as having such a disability.    

 

Race:  Categories of physical characteristics and/or genetic groupings of human populations

 

Religion: Participation with one of the world’s structured religions; one’s spiritual beliefs; inference of religion by place of worship.

 

Sex: Male or female.



Maryland: Includes all federal protections listed above PLUS:

Marital Status:  The state of being single, married, separated, divorced, or widowed.

 

Sexual Orientation:  The identification of an individual as to male or female homosexuality, heterosexuality, or bisexuality.

 

Gender Identity: (Effective 10/1/2014) A person's consistent and sincere expression of gender-related identity based on appearance, expression or behavior, regardless of the person's assigned sex at birth.

 

Local/Counties:  Includes all federal and state protections listed above PLUS:

Age:  Generally referring to adults 18 yrs & over. (Baltimore City, Cambridge, Hagerstown, Rockville; Baltimore, Harford, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties)

 

Ancestry:  Line of decent. (Baltimore City, Cambridge, Rockville and Montgomery County)

 

Creed: A person’s beliefs; also, a summary of principals or opinions to which someone professes or adheres. (Cambridge, Rockville; Baltimore, Harford, Howard and Montgomery Counties

 

Family Responsibility: Refers to decisions based on an assumption of a person’s care giving responsibilities, either childcare or care of another family member. (Montgomery County)       

 

Lawful Income:  See below, ‘Source of Income’. (City of Annapolis)

 

Occupation:  The principal lawful activity of one's life, generally including students, welfare recipients and retired persons. (Harford, Howard and Prince George’s Counties)

 

Personal Appearance:  The outward appearance of any person, irrespective of sex, with regard to hair style, facial hair, physical characteristics or manner of dress. Such term shall not relate to the requirement of cleanliness, uniforms or prescribed attire when uniformly applied for admittance to a public accommodation or to a class of employees for a customary or reasonable business. (Harford, Howard and Prince George’s Counties)

 

Political Opinion:  The opinion of persons relating to government, the conduct of government, political parties, candidates for election or elected office-holders. (Harford, Howard and Prince George’s Counties)

 

Presence of Children: Households that include the temporary custody or permanent occupancy of persons under the age of 18 years. (Rockville and Montgomery Co.)

 

 

Source of Income:  Any lawful source of money that is paid to or for the benefit of a renter or buyer of     housing and includes grants, government assistance, alimony, child  support, pensions, annuities, legal   gifts, or investment earnings.(City of Frederick, Annapolis; Frederick, Howard and Montgomery Counties)

 

If you believe your rights have been violated call the State of Maryland Commission on Civil Rights at 410-767-8600 or visit www.mccr.maryland.gov/intake.himl to initiate and inquiry.

 

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