Oregon Renters' Handbook - OSPIRG

Chapter 2 DiscriminationFair Housing laws protect youfrom discrimination by landlords,managers, agents, owners,and neighbors.Federal LawThe federal Fair Housing Actprohibits discrimination in anyhousing transaction on the basisof race, color, sex, family status,religion, national origin or mentalor physical disability.Oregon LawIn addition to the above, Oregon’sfair housing laws prohibitdiscrimination on the basis ofmarital status, sexual orientation,or source of income (providedthe source is not illegal or criminal).(659A.421)Landlords may, however,reject a couple who areunmarried, unrelated, and of theopposite sex if the rental requires theuse of a common bath or bedroom.(659A.421(6))Many cities and counties includedfurther protections. Forexample, in addition to thefederal and state fair housingprotections listed above, it is alsoillegal to discriminate becauseof your age over 18 in MultnomahCounty, Benton County,Beaverton, Bend, Corvallis,Eugene, Hillsboro, Lincoln City,Portland, Salem and Springfield.The Fair Housing Council ofOregon maintains a useful chartof such fair housing protectionsthat is available in this guide(see Appendix E).The fair housing laws exist toprevent the unfair treatment ofprotected classes by landlords.Fair landlords apply the samecriteria when screening andworking with all types of tenants.For example, a family withchildren that does not meetthe minimum income level setby a landlord for all applicantswould not be discriminatedagainst if the landlord deniedthe application.www.ospirgstudents.orgOSPIRG9