Difficulty: Easy

Average Score: 100%

Which of the following lessors is violating federal fair housing laws?

Rationale

An owner of a duplex who lives in one of the two units and refuses to rent the other unit to anyone with kids under the age of 12 is violating federal fair housing laws.

This choice violates the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination based on familial status. Refusing to rent to anyone with children under 12 constitutes discrimination against families with children, which is explicitly protected under federal law.

A (A church that rents out the parsonage only to members of the church) YOUR ANSWER

This scenario is permissible under the Fair Housing Act as religious organizations can restrict occupancy in certain housing situations for members. The law allows churches to prioritize their members for housing, provided they do not discriminate based on other protected classes.

B (A home builder who is developing a new retirement community that restricts occupancy to persons aged 62 and older) YOUR ANSWER

This choice is compliant with federal housing laws due to the Housing for Older Persons Act, which permits senior living communities to restrict occupancy based on age. Such restrictions are designed to create environments for older adults and do not violate fair housing laws.

D (An owner of an 8-unit apartment building who lives in one of the ground floor units and refuses to rent upstairs units to families with children) YOUR ANSWER

While this choice may appear discriminatory, the Fair Housing Act includes certain exemptions for small owner-occupied buildings. However, the refusal based on familial status could be argued as a violation, depending on the specifics of the unit sizes and layout. Nonetheless, it does not clearly present the same violation as choice C.

Conclusion

The Fair Housing Act protects against discrimination based on familial status, which includes refusal to rent to families with children. Choice C explicitly violates this law, as it discriminates against potential tenants based on their family composition. In contrast, the other choices either comply with exemptions or are permissible under federal regulations, highlighting the importance of understanding fair housing laws to ensure equitable rental practices.

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