Ad Promotes Awareness of Familial Status Discrimination
I've ridden the New York City subway for many years, but this morning, for the first time, I spotted an advertisement promoting fair housing awareness. The ad, produced by the New York State Division of Human Rights with a grant from HUD, listed the Fair Housing Act's seven protected classes and urged: "If It Happens to You, Call Us, We're Here!"
Interestingly, the focus of the ad was familial status discrimination. It featured a "For Sale" sign along with the illegal proviso "Unless You Have Kids." Many people aren't aware that refusing to sell or rent to a family with children under 18 is illegal. This ad will no doubt help spread the word.
Has your current or prior landlord ever treated you differently because you had a child living with you? If so, what did you do about it?
Comments
i was never discriminated because i don’t have and don’t plan to have kids, but where i live – romania, eastern europe, i have seen lots of ads like that and i thought it is their right to rent to whom they want to
Thanks for the comment. Housing ads banning children were legal in the United States until fairly recently. Although the Fair Housing Act became law in 1968, it didn’t include any protection against familial status discrimination until an amendment took effect on March 12, 1989.