COS Fair Housing & Civil Rights Requirements 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Fair Housing Act, which of the following is considered a protected class added by the 1988 amendments?
- Race
- Familial status (Correct answer)
- National origin
- Sex
Correct answer: Familial status
The 1988 Fair Housing Amendments Act added familial status and disability as protected classes to the original 1968 Act.
Question 2: A property manager refuses to rent to a couple because they have three children under age 10. This is a violation of which protected class?
- Disability
- National origin
- Familial status (Correct answer)
- Religion
Correct answer: Familial status
Familial status protects households with children under 18, so refusing to rent based on having young children is illegal discrimination.
Question 3: Which federal law prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability?
- Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Fair Housing Act of 1968 (Correct answer)
- Americans with Disabilities Act
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
Correct answer: Fair Housing Act of 1968
The Fair Housing Act of 1968 (Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act) is the primary federal law governing housing discrimination.
Question 4: What is 'steering' in the context of fair housing?
- Directing applicants to specific units regardless of preference
- Guiding prospective tenants toward or away from neighborhoods based on protected class (Correct answer)
- Requiring applicants to complete a steering committee review
- Steering applications to the fastest processing queue
Correct answer: Guiding prospective tenants toward or away from neighborhoods based on protected class
Steering is the illegal practice of directing housing seekers toward or away from certain neighborhoods based on race, religion, national origin, or other protected characteristics.
Question 5: A property manager charges a $500 security deposit for most tenants but charges $1,000 from applicants who speak with a foreign accent. This practice is an example of:
- Blockbusting
- Redlining
- Disparate treatment (Correct answer)
- Reasonable accommodation
Correct answer: Disparate treatment
Disparate treatment occurs when similarly situated individuals are treated differently because of a protected characteristic such as national origin.
Question 6: Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which properties are subject to its accessibility requirements?
- All privately owned rental properties
- Properties receiving federal financial assistance (Correct answer)
- Only new construction built after 1988
- Properties with 25 or more units
Correct answer: Properties receiving federal financial assistance
Section 504 applies to programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance, including HUD-funded housing.
Question 7: A prospective tenant who uses a wheelchair asks for a ground-floor unit because the elevator is frequently out of service. The property has no ground-floor vacancies. The manager should:
- Deny the request because no ground-floor units are available
- Place the applicant on a priority waitlist for the next available accessible unit (Correct answer)
- Charge an extra fee for priority waitlist placement
- Refer the applicant to a different property
Correct answer: Place the applicant on a priority waitlist for the next available accessible unit
Providing priority placement on a waitlist for accessible units is a reasonable accommodation that addresses a disability-related need.
COS Fair Housing & Civil Rights Requirements 2
Under the Fair Housing Act, which of the following is considered a protected class added by the 1988 amendments?