Discrimination in Housing
Housing discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people takes a variety of forms. For example, couples have been discriminated against when shopping for a home. Others have been told they cannot put both partners’ names on a homeowner’s insurance policy, which is important to do if both partners share ownership of the home. And still other couples have been discriminated against when filing a claim as some insurance companies have attempted to refuse claims or cancel policies on the grounds that the owners are "unrelated."
The best way to avoid discrimination: Know your rights – at the federal, state and local level.
Federal law lends no protection. The Fair Housing Act (Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968) prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, financing of or other housing-related transactions based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, family status or disability. But it does not protect people against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
Twelve states and the District of Columbia prohibit housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
- California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey , New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont.
In addition to the states listed above, another six states prohibit housing discrimination based on sexual orientation only.
- Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Wisconsin.
Courts and administrative agencies in several additional states (Florida, Massachusetts and New York) have interpreted either their sex or disability discrimination statutes to prohibit certain forms of discrimination against transgender people.
Municipalities that Prohibit Discrimination: There are more than 240 local jurisdictions that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment and, in most cases, housing and public accommodations. About 60 of these also prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or expression. Check with your local government for more information.