What constitutes discrimination under the Fair Housing Act?

Discrimination under the Fair Housing Act occurs when individuals are treated differently in housing-related activities based on specific protected characteristics. One of these characteristics is familial status, which includes families with children under the age of 18. Offering different lease terms to families with children constitutes discrimination because it is treating individuals unequally based solely on this protected status.

The Fair Housing Act aims to ensure that all individuals have equal access to housing opportunities, and imposing different lease terms can create a barrier that unfairly targets families with children. This may include higher rent, additional fees, or more stringent requirements, which would discourage families from exercising their right to housing.

In contrast, the other options do not necessarily involve discrimination on the basis of any protected classes as outlined in the Fair Housing Act. Charging higher fees for late payments is generally permissible as it applies uniformly to all tenants, increasing property taxes affects landlords and local communities rather than individuals based on protected characteristics, and enforcing a no-pet policy is not discrimination unless it selectively targets individuals based on criteria such as disability, which is not indicated here.