Housing Counselor Certification (HUD) Practice Exam

Which of the following could indicate a potential violation of the Fair Housing Act?

1. An apartment owner only rents to African-American tenants

2. An apartment owner only rents ground-level apartments to tenants of Asian ethnicity

3. A landlord requiring references from all applicants

4. A property owner denying pets to families with children

The correct answer is: An apartment owner only rents ground-level apartments to tenants of Asian ethnicity

The indication of a potential violation of the Fair Housing Act revolves around discriminatory practices in housing decisions based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin. The scenario describing the apartment owner who only rents ground-level apartments to tenants of Asian ethnicity demonstrates a clear preference or control over tenant selection based on ethnicity. Such specific restrictions create a discriminatory practice that is contrary to the principles of the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination based on national origin. In the other scenarios, while they may raise some ethical concerns, they do not clearly indicate violations of the Fair Housing Act. For example, the first option involves an apartment owner renting exclusively to African-American tenants. While this could be problematic, it may not necessarily constitute a violation depending on context, such as if the owner controls the entire property under certain legal frameworks or if it is a faith-based organization that rents to a specific demographic. Requiring references from all applicants is a standard practice in rental agreements that can be applied uniformly and does not discriminate against any protected classes. Lastly, a property owner denying pets to families with children may seem unfair, but it doesn't necessarily relate to discrimination against a protected class under the Fair Housing Act unless it can be shown that such a policy disproportionately affects