The Equal Rights Center is a civil rights organization that identifies and seeks to eliminate unlawful and unfair discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations in its home community of Greater Washington, D.
C.
, and nationwide.
It is illegal in Maryland for a landlord to discriminate against someone based on their source of income (how you pay your rent).
This means that a landlord can’t refuse to rent to you because you use a housing voucher to pay rent.
Examples of potential acts of discrimination include:
- discriminatory ads, such as stating “no vouchers” in the ad,
- refusing to accept vouchers at a property, or
- misapplying minimum income requirements to voucher holders.
To determine minimum income requirements, a housing provider should only consider whether you’re able to pay your portion of the rent.
For example, it is likely illegal for a landlord to tell a voucher holder they have to make 3 times the entire rent (instead of 3 times their portion of the rent).
To learn more about your fair housing rights as a person with a housing voucher, check out this FAQ sheet: https://equalrightscenter.
org/wp-content/uploads/md-soi-faq-08.
2023-5.
pdf
If you believe you may have experienced housing discrimination based on source of income or another protected class, you can contact the Equal Rights Center.
To report your experience, please call show contact info or email show contact info .
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