It is illegal to discriminate because of familial status in the sale, rental, or financing of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions.
Familial status covers the following:
- families with children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians;
- pregnant women; and
- people securing custody of children under the age of 18
Examples of such discrimination include:
- Housing advertisements stating that children are not wanted
- Charging families higher rent or related fees because they have a child
- Restricting families with children to one area of a building or complex
- Denying housing to families or evicting them because they have a child
- Administering rules and procedures that unfairly target families with children
- Denying a mortgage because a person is pregnant or takes maternity leave
- Charging a higher interest rate because a person is pregnant or takes maternity leave