What Is Fair Housing?

  • Fair housing means everyone has the right to choose housing free from discrimination.
  • It applies to renting, buying, lending, advertising, and housing services.

Protected Classes

It is illegal to discriminate based on:

  • Race
  • Color
  • National origin
  • Religion
  • Sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity)
  • Familial status (presence of children under 18)
  • Disability

Reasonable Accommodations & Modifications

For People with Disabilities:

  • Housing providers must allow reasonable accommodations (policy or rule changes)
  • Housing providers must allow reasonable modifications (physical changes), at the tenant’s expense in most cases
  • Examples include:
    • Service or assistance animals
    • Reserved parking spaces
    • Visual or auditory alerts

Discrimination May Include:

  • Refusing to rent or sell a home
  • Setting different terms or conditions
  • Saying a unit is unavailable when it is available
  • Steering people to certain neighborhoods
  • Denying reasonable accommodations or modifications
  • Harassment or intimidation

What To Do If You Believe You’ve Experienced Discrimination

  1. Write down what happened (dates, names, details)
  2. Save any documents, emails, texts, or notices
  3. Contact FHRC office for help at 440-392-0147. You do not need proof to ask questions or seek assistance.