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Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), prevents discrimination in selling, renting, or financing housing based on race, national origin, religion, gender, disability, or the presence of or anticipation of a family . This article, while it does not assume to constitute legal advice, offers highlights of your rights as a renter under the Fair Housing Act.

1. Before you leasing, know how many apartments are part of the property, The Fair Housing Act exempts some owner-occupied buildings with no more than 4 units.
2. Think of university dorms as a kind of member-occupied and member-operated housing. In this case, the dormitories are a kind of private club that limits occupancy to members, and are therefore exempt from some of the restrictions placed on them by the Fair Housing Act.  If you are disabled: Even a property with a rigid “no pets” rule must let you to keep a guide dog if you need one. The landlord must let you to make reasonable modifications to your unit with any cost incurred at your own expense , if such adjustments are necessary in order for you or a disabled person you may be associated with to gain access to the property .
3. The landlord may not set different terms for you to rent their housing than they can for somebody else . What this means: the lease form you sign should be standard to that unit . If you find out that, for example, the terms of the lease have been adjusted to say, provide for a limited number of occupants in the unit and you’re expecting a child, you may be able to seek legal remedy through the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
4. The property manager or landlord may not publicize the property in a way that suggests the discrimination of one group over another. This kind of preferential or discriminatory advertising also applies to owner-occupied properties with no more than 4 units.
5. Housing discrimination has a statute of limitations of one year. In other words, you have one year to report a violation of the Fair Housing Act to the Department of Housing and Urban Development and still be able to seek legal remedy.
6. Living facilties for the elderly are exempt from certain provisions of the Fair Housing Act, if it houses at least one person who is 55 or older in 80% of its units, and adheres to a strict policy outlining its intent to be a living facility for the elderly.

The federal office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) enforces the Fair Housing Act, and is able to help you should you find yourself in a discriminatory housing situation. To seek legal remedy through HUD, you will need to issue a housing discrimination complaint form or write a letter containing the same information as the form, and mail it to HUD.

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Author: Lisa Brown is a Sales and Marketing Associate for Almost Home USA, a nationwide temporary housing company whose goal is to provide such excellent experiences that clients feel almost home. If you are in need of furnished apartments or temporary housing, Almost Home USA might be your best solution.