COS Fair Housing Laws 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The Fair Housing Act of 1968 was originally passed as an amendment to which broader legislation?
- The Housing Act of 1949
- The Civil Rights Act of 1964
- The Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Correct answer)
- The National Housing Act of 1934
Correct answer: The Civil Rights Act of 1968
The Fair Housing Act is Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, signed into law one week after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Question 2: Which of the following exemptions exists under the Fair Housing Act?
- Single-family homes sold or rented by an owner without a broker and without discriminatory advertising (Correct answer)
- Any building with fewer than 20 units
- Religious-owned housing open to the general public
- Mobile home parks with fewer than 10 spaces
Correct answer: Single-family homes sold or rented by an owner without a broker and without discriminatory advertising
Owner-occupied single-family homes sold or rented privately without an agent and without discriminatory advertising may be exempt from some FHA provisions.
Question 3: Under the Fair Housing Act, 'redlining' refers to:
- Refusing to provide financing in certain areas based on racial or ethnic composition (Correct answer)
- Highlighting lease violations in red ink for clarity
- Zoning restrictions that limit multi-family housing
- Requiring security deposits for high-risk tenants
Correct answer: Refusing to provide financing in certain areas based on racial or ethnic composition
Redlining is the discriminatory practice of refusing mortgage loans, insurance, or other financial services in neighborhoods based on their racial or ethnic makeup.
Question 4: A housing provider denies an application because the applicant uses a Section 8 housing voucher. This may violate fair housing laws at which level?
- Only federal law
- Only state law in states with source-of-income protections (Correct answer)
- Both federal and state law in all jurisdictions
- Neither level — source of income is not protected anywhere
Correct answer: Only state law in states with source-of-income protections
Source of income (including Section 8 vouchers) is not a federally protected class under the FHA but is protected in many states and localities that have added it.
Question 5: What is the statute of limitations for filing a fair housing complaint with HUD?
- 6 months
- 1 year (Correct answer)
- 2 years
- 3 years
Correct answer: 1 year
A complaint must be filed with HUD within one year of the alleged discriminatory act.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes 'disparate impact' in fair housing?
- A policy that explicitly states a preference for a protected class
- A neutral policy that disproportionately affects a protected class without business justification (Correct answer)
- A landlord's refusal to discuss lease terms with a protected class member
- Charging different rent amounts based on protected class status
Correct answer: A neutral policy that disproportionately affects a protected class without business justification
Disparate impact occurs when a facially neutral policy disproportionately harms a protected class, even if no discriminatory intent is present.
Question 7: Under the 1988 Fair Housing Amendments Act, which two protected classes were added to the original 1968 law?
- Sex and national origin
- Disability and familial status (Correct answer)
- Religion and color
- Age and source of income
Correct answer: Disability and familial status
The 1988 amendments added disability (handicap) and familial status to the original four protected classes of race, color, national origin, and religion.
COS Fair Housing Laws 3
The Fair Housing Act of 1968 was originally passed as an amendment to which broader legislation?