Families and fair housing
Kids, conditions and fair treatment
A home is more than a lease. When a landlord turns a family away, ignores a safety problem or punishes someone for complaining, the law has something to say.
We take cases where a landlord treated someone differently because of who they are, and cases where an unsafe condition in the home is hurting a child or a household. We will say honestly whether the facts fit.
We help with
Being refused or pushed out because you have children
Treatment based on race, religion, national origin, language or disability
Reasonable changes for a disability, like a ramp or an assistance animal
Mold, pests, no heat and other unsafe conditions
Payback after you complained or asked for repairs
Where it starts
Three situations we see most
Each one begins with what happened and when. Keep your messages and write down the dates.
A family turned away
You were told no kids, or the unit was suddenly taken once the landlord learned your family size.
Save the ad and every message
Write down who said what, and when
We tell you if it fits a claim
An unsafe home
Mold, pests or no heat, and a landlord who has not fixed it after you asked.
Photos with dates
Your requests, in writing
We write the demand and plan next steps
Payback for complaining
A rent increase, a cut in services or an eviction notice that came right after you spoke up.
Line up the dates
Keep the notice and your earlier complaint
We respond before any deadline passes
Common questions
Fair housing and repairs, answered
Can a landlord refuse to rent to me because I have children?
Generally no. Federal fair housing law protects families with children, and many states and cities add protections of their own. A few kinds of housing, like certain senior communities, are exceptions. Tell us what was said, and in what form.
What counts as retaliation?
Raising your rent, cutting services, starting an eviction or refusing to renew soon after you complained or asked for repairs can be retaliation. Dates matter, so keep every message and write down when things happened.
Do I have to prove the landlord meant to discriminate?
It depends on the claim. Often what matters is what happened and how others in a similar spot were treated. Save messages and ads, and write down anything said out loud, with the date.
Is your home hurting your kids' health or safety?
Tell us what is wrong and when you first told the landlord. We will say what we can do.