It is illegal to discriminate on the basis of sex in the sale, rental, financing of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions.
Examples of such discrimination include:
- Applying different terms and conditions of housing because of sex
- Denying a housing application, a dwelling, or evicting persons because of sex
- Steering or restricting persons to one area of a building or complex based on sex
- Housing advertisements stating that persons preferred or not wanted because of sex
- Refusing to rent to a person who resists the landlord's sexual advances or to make life difficult for a tenant who has resisted such advances
Sexual Harassment
It is illegal to deny or limit services or facilities in connection with the sale or rental of a dwelling because a person failed or refused to provide sexual favors. Sexual harassment claims include:
- Making a sexual demand on a resident in order for that resident to get needed maintenance on the apartment, to get a rent concession, or to avoid an eviction; and
- A "hostile environment" claim, which can give rise to claims concerning the psychological well-being of a resident who can demonstrate such a situation.
Examples of such discrimination include:
- Refusing to rent to a person who resists the landlord's sexual advances or to make life difficult for a tenant who has resisted such advances.
- The landlord tells you he'll only keep renting to you if you go on a date with him.
- A maintenance person comes to fix your sink and makes sexual jokes, comments, and gestures to you while there.
- Your property manager tells you, "I'll take $100 off your rent-if you."