Fair Housing and Equity

General guidelines to avoid discriminatory actions:

• Agents in a real estate transaction, licensed brokers, or salespersons are prohibited by law from discriminating based on a protected class. A request from the home seller or landlord to act in a discriminatory manner in the sale, lease, or rental cannot be legally fulfilled by the real estate professional.
• Home sellers and landlords have a responsibility and a requirement under the law not to discriminate in property sale, rental, or financing. Under the law, a home seller or landlord cannot establish discriminatory terms or conditions in the purchase or rental, deny that housing is available only to persons in a protected class, or instruct an agent or broker to convey such limitations to potential applicants.
• Even when illegal, discriminatory actions are not intentional, they are still illegal.
• If you offer options to one applicant and not to another based on their membership in a protected class, it is illegal discrimination.
• If you make assumptions about potential tenants or clients - their ability to pay, their likelihood of being "good" clients, their potential for causing problems - based on their race, disability, accent, family size, etc. - that is illegal discrimination.