You won't find the word "albinism" or "albino" anywhere in the text of the Fair Housing Act (FHA), or even the regulations. But that doesn't mean you're not protected against housing discrimination if you're one of the thousands of Americans with albinism.
If you have albinism and you're looking for an apartment or already living in one, here's how federal law protects you against discrimination:
Color
One of the FHA's seven protected classes is color. Unlike race, which is its own protected classes, color speaks directly to the pigmentation or shade of a person's skin. Since the classic symptom of albinism is very light skin, landlords or brokers who reject prospects with albinism could face charges based on color.
Disability
Aside from skin color, many people with albinism experience certain health issues, most commonly visual impairments. If you're one of them and your impairment fits the FHA's definition of disability, then you may be entitled to protection against disability-based discrimination.
For example, if your vision is such that you need a guide dog but your landlord doesn't allow pets, you may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation to keep the dog in your apartment. Note that it doesn't matter whether your visual impairment is actually caused by albinism or is unrelated.
