Fair Housing Responsibilities
Housing discrimination is illegal under both state and federal laws. It is always against the law to deny anyone housing based on race. In almost all instances, it is also against the law to deny anyone housing based on:
- Color
- Sex
- National Origin
- Religion
- Presence of Children in the Household
- Disability
- Marital Status
- Age
- Sexual Orientation
- Military or Veteran Status
- Ancestry
- Public Assistance
- Housing subsidies or rental assistance
- The presence of lead paint if a child under six lives in the household
- Genetic information
Get some helpful Tips on Selecting a Tenant (download pdf).
The Fair Housing Initiatives Program is a joint project of HAPHousing and the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center, funded with a HUD grant. The goal of the program is to increase the understanding of fair housing rights among members of protected classes, housing providers and providers of support services in Hampden and Hampshire Counties through a variety of outreach, education and counseling activities.
For more information, contact:
John Fisher, HAPHousing Fair Housing Counselor, 233-1609 or jfisher@haphousing.org
Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination
Massachusetts Fair Housing Center (formerly, Housing Discrimination Project): (413) 539-9796
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
