Fair Housing Notice
Federal, State and Local Fair Housing and Anti-discrimination Laws protect individuals from housing discrimination. It is unlawful to discriminate based on certain protected characteristics, which include, but are not limited to: race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military status, sex, age, disability, marital status, lawful source of income or familial status.
Some examples of potential fair housing violations
- Refusing to rent, sell or show a property based on a potential tenant or purchaser’s protected characteristic.
- Quoting a higher price to a purchaser or renter because of the potential purchaser or tenant’s protected characteristic.
- Refusing to rent to a tenant who has children or increasing a security deposit based on the number of children who will be living in the apartment.
- Steering prospective tenants or purchasers to certain neighborhoods based on any protected characteristics.
- Refusing to rent to a potential tenant because of their source of income, including but not limited to, Section 8 vouchers or other government subsidies.
- Refusing to waive a “no pet” policy for tenants that require a service, assistance or emotional support animal.
- Discriminating at the direction of a seller or landlord or because it is the preference of a seller or landlord.
- Refusing to rent to a renter who is a victim of domestic violence.
You have the right to file a complaint
- New York State, Department of State: (518) 474-4429
- New York State, Division of Human Rights: (844) 862-8703
New York Department of State
Division of Licensing Services
One Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue, P.O. Box 22001, Albany, NY 12201-2001
Customer service: (518) 474-4429
dos.ny.gov · help@dos.ny.gov