Religion

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion in all housing transactions. In 2021, the National Fair Housing Alliance reported that 1.16% of all fair housing complaints filed the previous year involved discrimination on the basis of religion.

The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing providers from treating renters or homebuyers differently because of their religion or because they wear religious clothing or engage in religious practices and rituals. “Religion” includes both the practice and non-practice of religion, such as atheism, as well as religions that are outside the mainstream. However, a housing provider is not required to provide an accommodation from a neutrally applied rule for a person with religious needs.

Discrimination on the basis of religion may look like:

• Steering prospective tenants towards or away from housing units based on their proximity to a mosque, synagogue, or church
• Prohibiting or discouraging religious decorations inside a tenant’s apartment
• Prohibiting use of community areas within a building for religious purposes, if those areas are permitted to be used for secular gatherings

Have you experienced discrimination? Call HOPE at 630-690-6500