We’re not sure how legitimate this claim is, but it gave us
a chuckle and brought up a decent point about discrimination in the business of
property management, so we thought
we’d pass it along:
A landlord recently posted on the Landlord Protection Agency
forum asking about the legality of evicting tenants who supposedly lied on
their tenant application about being fans of the Green Bay Packers. After the
couple moved into the home – which is within walking distance to Lambeau Field
– they placed lawn ornaments, flags and other paraphernalia outside the home
proclaiming to be Chicago Bears fans. This drew the ire of the absentee landlord, a Packers fan who is
renting out his home until he retires in a few years and heads back to his
beloved Green Bay.
According to the landlord, the tenants’ Bears paraphernalia
had angered the neighbors and he was wondering if lying on the tenant
application was grounds for eviction. The short answer is no. Lying about one’s
employment or criminal record could
be grounds for an application to be rejected, but someone’s affiliation with or
involvement in a particular club, sport, team, church or other organization is
protected under privacy laws. It’s unlawful to deny housing based on something
that does not threaten the life or well-being of anyone, and is none of the
landlord’s business.
While we’re on
the subject, let’s also review the Fair Housing Act (Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968), which
outlawed:- Refusal to sell or rent a
dwelling to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, or national
origin.
- Discrimination based on race,
color, religion or national origin in the terms, conditions or privilege
of the sale or rental of a dwelling.
- Advertising the sale or
rental of a dwelling indicating preference of discrimination based on
race, color, religion or national origin.
- Coercing, threatening, intimidating, or interfering with a person's enjoyment or exercise of housing rights based on discriminatory reasons or retaliating against a person or organization that aids or encourages the exercise or enjoyment of fair housing rights.
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