Question 26

Denying a tenant who has a record of failing to pay rent is not a protected classification under the Fair Housing Act.

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on specific protected classifications, such as race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability. A tenant's history of failing to pay rent is not considered a protected classification, and landlords are allowed to make leasing decisions based on financial history.

A) denying access to a property due to the user's race.

This option is incorrect because race is one of the protected classifications under the Fair Housing Act. Denying access to housing based on race is explicitly prohibited by law, making this a clear example of discrimination.

B) denying a tenant who has a record of failing to pay rent.

This option is correct as it does not fall under the protected classifications outlined by the Fair Housing Act. A landlord can legally refuse to rent to someone based on their financial history, including a record of not paying rent, meaning this does not constitute discrimination.

C) denying a couple whose offer is lower on a house in a district.

This option is incorrect because denying a couple solely based on the price of their offer does not violate the Fair Housing Act. Price-based decisions are permissible as they do not stem from any of the protected classifications.

D) denying a couple whose request is to purchase a property in a school district.

This option is incorrect as it does not represent a protected classification issue within the Fair Housing Act. Denying a couple based on their request related to a specific school district does not imply discrimination based on any protected status.

Conclusion

Denying a tenant who has a record of failing to pay rent is the only option that does not align with the Fair Housing Act's protected classifications, allowing landlords to make decisions based on financial history. In contrast, the other options reflect scenarios that involve discrimination based on race, financial status unrelated to protected classifications, or other non-discriminatory factors. Thus, B is definitively the correct choice.